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§ 5-1102. Purpose and construction of Subtitle

West's Annotated Code of MarylandNatural ResourcesEffective: July 1, 2023

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Natural Resources
Title 5. Forests and Parks (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 11. Public Recreation on Private Land and Land Owned by Local Governments (Refs & Annos)
Effective: July 1, 2023
MD Code, Natural Resources, § 5-1102
§ 5-1102. Purpose and construction of Subtitle
Currentness
Legislative intent
(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that nothing in this subtitle may be construed to:
(1) Require a landowner to allow the general public access to the landowner's land; or
(2) Prohibit a landowner from limiting or posting the landowner's land against entry.
Purpose of Subtitle
(b) The purpose of this subtitle is to encourage any owner of land to make land, water, and airspace above the land and water areas available to the public for any recreational and educational purpose, or on a limited entry basis for any recreational hunting purpose, by limiting the owner's liability toward any person who enters on land, water, and airspace above the land and water areas for these purposes.
Construction of Subtitle
(c) This subtitle does not:
(1) Create a duty of care or ground of liability for injury to persons or property; or
(2) Relieve any person using the land of another for any recreational or educational purpose from:
(i) Any obligation which a person might have in the absence of this subtitle to exercise care in using the land and in a person's activities on the land; or
(ii) The legal consequences of a person's failure to employ care.

Credits

Added by Acts 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 4, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1988, c. 692; Acts 1989, c. 639; Acts 2022, c. 523, § 1, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2023, c. 543, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; Acts 2023, c. 544, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023.
Formerly Art. 66C, §§ 410J, 410P.
MD Code, Natural Resources, § 5-1102, MD NAT RES § 5-1102
Current through legislation effective through April 25, 2024, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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