PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 757

certain funds by budget amendments; defining certain terms; and generally relating to
the establishment of the Rural Legacy Program.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Natural Resources
Section 5-903(a) and (g)(1)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1989 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article - Natural Resources

Section 5-9A-01 through 5-9A-08 5-9A-09, inclusive, to be under the new subtitle
"Subtitle 9A. Rural Legacy Program"

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1989 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Tax - Property
Section 13-209(c)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1994 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

5-903.

(a) (1) Of the funds distributed to Program Open Space under § 13-209 of the
Tax - Property Article, $1,000,000 may be transferred by an appropriation in the State
budget, or by an amendment to the State budget under Title 7, Subtitle 2 of the State
Finance and Procurement Article, to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority Financing
Fund established under Title 13, Subtitle 11 of the Financial Institutions Article to be
used for the purposes provided in that subtitle.

(2) (i) Of the remaining funds not appropriated under paragraph (1) of
this subsection, one half of the funds shall be used for recreation and open space
purposes by the Department and the Historic St. Mary's City Commission. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, any funds the General Assembly appropriates to the
State under this subsection shall be used only for land acquisition projects.

(ii) A portion of the State's share of funds available under this
program shall be utilized to make grants to Baltimore City for projects which meet park
purposes. The grants shall be in addition to any funds Baltimore City is eligible to receive
under subsection (b) of this section, and may be used for acquisition or development. In
order for Baltimore City to be eligible for a State grant, the Department shall review
projects or land to be acquired within Baltimore City, and upon the Department's
recommendation, the Board of Public Works may approve projects and land including the

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