Ch. 21

2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(2) Of the 10 members:

(i) 5 shall be members of the Senate appointed by the President of
the Senate; and

(ii) 5 shall be members of the House of Delegates appointed by the
Speaker of the House.

(c)      The members of the Committee serve at the pleasure of the presiding
officer who appointed them.

(d)     The President and the Speaker shall jointly appoint a Senator and a
Delegate each to serve as cochairman.

(e)     The Department of Legislative Services shall provide staff assistance to
the Committee.

(f)      The [Chesapeake Bay] Critical Area Commission FOR THE CHESAPEAKE
AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS shall meet with the Committee periodically as the
Committee requests to review development and implementation of the criteria for
program development.

(g)     The Committee may study and make recommendations to the Legislative
Policy Committee on any other area of the Chesapeake [Bay] AND ATLANTIC
COASTAL BAYS Critical Area Protection Program the Committee considers
appropriate.

(h) The Committee shall meet with the Critical Area Commission FOR THE
CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS, representatives of counties and
municipalities having land within the critical areas, and any other interested parties
to study and determine:

(1)     whether adequate flexibility exists under the current criteria to meet
the special characteristics and needs of the individual counties and municipalities
having land within the critical areas;

(2)     whether the current timetable for review of approved local critical
area protection programs is adequate to meet the special characteristics and needs of
the individual counties and municipalities having land within the critical areas; and

(3)     whether the criteria need to be strengthened in any area so as to
make the Chesapeake [Bay] AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS Critical Area Protection
Program more effective in the protection of the water quality and habitat of the
Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

(i) The Committee shall study and determine the appropriate future role of
the [Chesapeake Bay] Critical Area Commission FOR THE CHESAPEAKE AND
ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS, including:

(1) whether the [Chesapeake Bay] Critical Area Commission FOR THE
CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAYS should remain an autonomous
organization or be incorporated into an existing executive agency;

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