Ch. 654                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND                           

(g) (1) The Department shall prepare certificates of merger that specify:

(i) The name of each party to the articles of merger;

(ii) The name of the successor and the location of its principal office in
the State or, if it has none, its principal place of business; and

(iii) The time the articles of merger are accepted for record by the
Department.

(2)     In addition to any other provision of law with respect to recording, the
Department shall send one certificate of merger each to the clerk of the circuit court for
each county where the articles of merger show that a merging PARTNERSHIP, limited
partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or business trust other than the
successor owns an interest in land.

(3)     On receipt of a certificate of merger, a clerk promptly shall record it
with the land records.

(h) (1) In order to keep the land assessment records current in each county, the
Department shall require a PARTNERSHIP, limited partnership, corporation, limited
liability company, or business trust to submit with the articles of merger a property
certificate for each county where a merging PARTNERSHIP, limited partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, or business trust other than the successor owns an
interest in land.                                                                                             

(2)     A property certificate is not required with respect to any property in
which the only interest owned by the merging PARTNERSHIP, limited partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, or business trust is a security interest.

(3)     The property certificate shall be in the form and number of copies that
the Department requires and may include the certificate of the Department required by
subsection (g) of this section.

(4)     (i) The property certificate shall provide a deed reference or other
description sufficient to identify the property.

(ii) The Department shall indicate on the property certificate the time
the articles of merger are accepted for record and send a copy of the property certificate
to the chief assessor of the county where the property is located.                 

(5)     A transfer, vesting, or devolution of title to the property is not
invalidated or otherwise affected by any error or defect in the property certificate, failure
to file the property certificate, or failure by the Department to act on the property
certificate.

(i) A merger is effective as of the later of:

(1)     The time the Department accepts the articles of merger for record; or

(2)     The time established under the articles of merger, not to exceed 30 days
after the articles of merger are accepted for record.                                     :

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