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Ocean City Beach is Not Topless, Officials Say

Don rush

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) - Ocean City officials want to be clear: women can't go topless on the Maryland beach.

The Daily Times of Salisbury reports that Ocean City's Town Council unanimously passed an ordinance in an emergency session Saturday to make that point.

The newly refined ordinance says "there is no constitutional right for an individual to appear in public nude or in a state of nudity."

It takes effect immediately. It clarifies that anyone showing "the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering" would be violating the law and subject to a fine of up to $1,000.

Last week, the head of the beach patrol said lifeguards will no longer approach and scold women who are topless. Some on social media assumed that mean going topless would be allowed.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.