(1997 Replacement Volume and 1998 Supplement)

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

Article - Natural Resources

4-721.

(c) (1) A person may not fish a pound net in any part of the Gunpowder and
Bush rivers lying in Harford County further than 1,500 feet from the shoreline of the
Gunpowder River below Maxwell Point at mean low water tide and 750 feet from the
shoreline of the Bush River at mean low water tide.

(2) (I) EXCEPT WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ABERDEEN
PROVING GROUNDS, A PERSON MAY NOT SET A FYKE NET IN THE BUSH RIVER
WITHIN 300 FEET OF ANOTHER FYKE NET OR 750 FEET OF A POUND NET, MEASURED
AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EXISTING NETS OR LINE OF NETS FOR ENFORCEMENT
PURPOSES.

(II) AN OWNER TENANT, OR LESSEE OF THE RIPARIAN RIGHTS OF
ANY OF THE RIPARIAN RIGHTS PROPERTY BORDERING THE BUSH RIVER MAY
MAINTAIN A SINGLE FYKE NET THAT IS CLOSER THAN 300 FEET TO ANOTHER FYKE
NET OR POUND NET SET IN FRONT OF AN ADJACENT PROPERTY

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1999.

May 12, 1999

The Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr.
Speaker of the House
State House

Annapolis MD 21401-1991
Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I today vetoed
House Bill 8 - Commercial Law - Year 2000 Commerce Protection Act.

House Bill 8 provides various protections for businesses from liability for damages,
personal injury, death and other losses caused by Year 2000 (Y2K) information
technology failures. Specifically, the legislation establishes an affirmative defense for
businesses that take certain good faith actions to identify and remedy Y2K
compliance problems. While the impetus for this bill is understandable, I strongly
believe that businesses should not escape responsibility for any personal injuries or
death to Maryland citizens that are the result of Y2K technology failures. This is an
issue of fundamental fairness and protecting families who have been harmed due to
no fault of their own.

The task of ensuring that information technology systems are Year 2000 compliant
has been a critical and ongoing endeavor for the State and local governments as well