ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 526

1.       a comparison of the total tax burden in the State on the
elderly and retirees as compared to other states; and

2.       a comparison of the total tax burden in the State on the
elderly and retirees as a percentage of personal income as compared to other states;

(iii) examine the benefits that the elderly and retirees provide to the
local community and the State by participating in mentoring or volunteer programs
or similar community activities; and

(iv) examine State and county expenditures on the elderly and
retirees including health care expenditures.

(g) The Task Force shall:

(1)     be appointed and organize and begin its deliberations no later than
July 1, 2004; and

(2)     submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor
and, in accordance with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, to the General
Assembly before December 31, 2004.

(h) The Task Force shall terminate on December 31, 2004 May 31, 2005
December 31, 2004.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 2004.

Approved May 26, 2004.

CHAPTER 526
(House Bill 1009)

AN ACT concerning

Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program -
Miscellaneous Enforcement Provisions

FOR the purpose of requiring a local jurisdiction to make a certain presumption when
considering a variance application under the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal
Bays Critical Area Protection Program; establishing certain burdens of proof
and persuasion in an application for a certain variance; requiring a local
jurisdiction to make certain findings and authorizing the findings to be based on
certain evidence and testimony; authorizing a local jurisdiction to consider
certain facts when making certain findings; requiring a local jurisdiction's
critical area program to include certain buffer requirements and penalty
provisions; authorizing a local jurisdiction to consider certain factors in
determining the amount of a certain penalty; authorizing a local jurisdiction
under certain circumstances to request certain enforcement assistance from the
Chairman of the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area

- 2477 -