Ch. 583

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

operation and maintenance of Historic St. Mary's City shall be as provided in the State
Fiscal Year 1998 appropriation. For each fiscal year thereafter, the proposed basic
operating appropriation shall be at least equal to the grant of the prior fiscal year.

SECTION 6. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Commission may, in
exercising its authority under § 24-509 of the Education Article as enacted by this Act,
request and the College may agree, to add the Commission, its members, agents, and
employees to any insurance policy carried by the College pursuant to § 14-204(h)
14-404(h) of the Education Article, with any increased premium to be paid by the
Commission.

SECTION 7. 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That any fund balance,
including funds, if any, in the special fund known as the Historic St. Mary's City Fund
which are held by the Treasurer on June 30, 1997, shall be transferred to a separate
nonbudgeted account held and accounted for by the Treasurer for Historic St. Mary's City
to be known as the "Historic St. Mary's City Fund": the Historic St. Mary's City Fund
established under § 24-511 of the Education Article.

SECTION 8. 7. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That unless expressly
provided to the contrary in this Act, any transaction, contract or agreement validly
entered into by or on behalf of the Historic St. Mary's City Commission on or before June
30, 1997 and every right, duty, or interest flowing from it remains valid after the effective
date of this Act and may be completed, consummated, paid, terminated or enforced with
its terms pursuant to law.

SECTION 9. 8. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the terms of the
members of the Historic St. Mary's City Commission who are appointed by the Governor
shall expire as follows: (1) 4 members in 1997; (2) 4 members in 1998; (3) 4 members in
1999; (4) 5 members in 2000. Any member of the Historic St. Mary's City Commission as
of June 30, 1997 shall continue as a member until the later of (a) the expiration of the
term such member is serving as of June 30, 1997, or (b) the appointment, pursuant to §
24-505 of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, of a successor
Commissioner following the expiration of such term, or (c) the resignation of the
member.

SECTION 9. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Historic St. Mary's
City Commission shall:

(1)     Assure that religious toleration, and the distinctive role of St. Mary's
City in the development of religious toleration in our nation's history, is a key element of
its educational programs and public presentations:

(2)     Focus-oft Give priority to the reconstruction of the first Roman Catholic
Chapel in the English colonies as its next primary development objective; and

(3)     Request the Historic St. Mary's City Foundation, a private nonprofit
corporation, to undertake the Chapel reconstruction and raise private funds for the
project in order to avoid any constitutional problems with reconstruction of a religious
structure and to expedite the reconstruction of this important historical structure.

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