EXHIBIT 31a
                     Rule 13a-14(a) /15d-14(a) Certification

I, Hunter R. Hollar, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q/A of Sandy Spring Bancorp,
Inc.

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as
of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure control and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d--15(e)) for the registrant and have:

         a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
              disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
              supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
              registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
              to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
              period in which this report is being prepared;

         b)   N/A

         c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
              controls and procedures and presented in this report our
              conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
              procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report
              based upon such evaluation; and

         d)   Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
              control over financial reporting that occurred during the
              registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially
              affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
              registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our
most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

         a)   All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
              or operation of internal control over financial reporting which
              are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability
              to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
              and

         b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
              other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
              internal control over financial reporting.

Date: December 17, 2003                              /s/ Hunter R. Hollar
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     Hunter R. Hollar
                                                     President and
                                                     Chief Executive Officer