| 1 | 1 | | |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. |
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| 4 | 4 | | [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. |
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| 5 | 5 | | *hb1263* |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | HOUSE BILL 1263 |
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| 8 | 8 | | M2 5lr3416 |
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| 9 | 9 | | CF SB 841 |
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| 10 | 10 | | By: Delegates Adams, Hutchinson, Jacobs, and Otto |
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| 11 | 11 | | Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Assigned to: Environment and Transportation |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A BILL ENTITLED |
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| 15 | 15 | | |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT concerning 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | Natural Resources – Public Clam Fishery Area – Establishment 2 |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with 3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | the Tidal Fisheries Advisory Commission, to identify by regulation based on certain 4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | data the public clam fishery area in the Chesapeake Bay; prohibiting the lease of the 5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | public clam fishery area for shellfish aquaculture; and generally relating to the 6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | public clam fishery area in the Chesapeake Bay. 7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | BY adding to 8 |
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| 27 | 27 | | Article – Natural Resources 9 |
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| 28 | 28 | | Section 4–1006.3 10 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Annotated Code of Maryland 11 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12 |
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| 31 | 31 | | |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13 |
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| 33 | 33 | | That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14 |
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| 34 | 34 | | |
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| 35 | 35 | | Article – Natural Resources 15 |
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| 36 | 36 | | |
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| 37 | 37 | | 4–1006.3. 16 |
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| 38 | 38 | | |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) IN CONSULTATION WITH THE TIDAL FISHERIES ADVISORY 17 |
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| 40 | 40 | | COMMISSION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IDEN TIFY BY REGULATION T HE PUBLIC 18 |
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| 41 | 41 | | CLAM FISHERY AREA IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BASED ON COMMERCI AL 19 |
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| 42 | 42 | | HARVESTING ACTIVITY DURING THE 3 YEARS PRECEDING JUNE 1, 2025, ANY 20 |
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| 43 | 43 | | SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT , AND OTHER QUANTITATI VE DATA 21 |
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| 44 | 44 | | KNOWN OR MADE AVAILA BLE TO THE DEPARTMENT . 22 |
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| 45 | 45 | | |
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| 46 | 46 | | (B) THE PUBLIC CLAM FISHE RY AREA MAY NOT BE L EASED FOR SHELLFISH 23 |
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| 47 | 47 | | AQUACULTURE . 24 2 HOUSE BILL 1263 |
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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | (C) A TIDAL FISH LICENS E HOLDER MAY CATCH C LAMS IN AREAS LOCATE D 1 |
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| 52 | 52 | | OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC C LAM FISHERY AREA UNL ESS PROHIBITED BY LA W. 2 |
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| 53 | 53 | | |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 3 |
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| 55 | 55 | | 1, 2025. 4 |
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| 56 | 56 | | |
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