(a) Requirement to create and maintain records. Any person who owns or operates a hotel, motel, inn or other transient lodging facility shall maintain records of the name and given address of the person renting sleeping facilities in the establishment; the room number occupied; the date and time of registration and checkout; and, where maintained by the establishment in the ordinary course of business, the license plate number and state of registration of any motor vehicle parked or kept by the person on the hotel premises. The records shall be retained for three years after the date the last entry is recorded.
(b) Prohibition. A person may not knowingly give or cause to be given an incorrect name, address, or license plate number to the owner, manager, or agent of any establishment required to maintain records under this section.
(c) Duty to produce to law enforcement officer. The records required to be kept in accordance with subsection (a) and records and billing information maintained by any hotel, motel, inn, or other transient lodging facility of telephone calls made from the establishment or from individual rooms in the establishment shall be made available for inspection by any County or State law enforcement officer.
(d) Ability to require form. Before providing inspection of the records to a law enforcement officer under this section, an establishment may require the officer to present a form that states that inspection is pursuant to a criminal investigation by a law enforcement agency; states that a subject involved in the investigation is believed to be registered in the facility or has checked out within the previous seven days; and is signed by the chief law enforcement officer of the agency or that officer’s designee.
(e) Notice. Each establishment governed by the provisions of this section shall post in its guest check-in area or inside each guest room or otherwise distribute the following notice to each person renting sleeping facilities:
In accordance with Anne Arundel law, certain guest records kept by this establishment may be subject to inspection by State and local law enforcement officers in the course of criminal investigations.
(1985 Code, Art. 17, § 1-104) (Bill No. 80-91; Bill No. 109-21)