Dear Friend,
Welcome to my Legislative Newsletter, highlighting Council Bills and Council Resolutions proposed by the Howard County Council.
As your County Council representative, I encourage you to review this information and lend your voice by testifying via email or in person. To voice your support or opposition, please email
councilmail@howardcountymd.gov
.
The next Legislative Public Hearing will be
Monday, March 16th
at 7 PM in the Banneker Room at the George Howard Building located at 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. To sign-up in advance to testify, click
here
.
Sincerely,
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The County Council is responsible for adopting the laws of the County. The legislative process generally follows a monthly cycle:
- 1st Monday- New legislation is introduced; legislation from prior month is given final consideration
- 3rd Monday- Public hearing on legislation introduced that month
- 4th Monday- Legislative work session, if needed
Council Bills must be signed or vetoed by the County Executive within 10 days of presentation of passed legislation, from the County Council.
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Council-Related Legislation
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Howard County Council Legislation
Unless otherwise noted, the following legislation is introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
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Introduced by: Christiana Rigby Co-Sponsored by: Opel Jones, Deb Jung, and Liz Walsh
AN ACT allowing employees of Howard County to make specified disclosures to specified officials; prohibiting a person from retaliating for or limiting certain disclosures; authorizing certain complaints relating to disclosures; providing for confidentiality of certain disclosures; setting certain penalties; providing for the application of this act to certain other measures; and generally relating to whistleblower protection.
Introduced by: Opel Jones Co- Sponsored by: Christiana Rigby and David Yungmann
AN ACT requiring a fiscal analysis for each Bill; specifying that the County Auditor must submit the statement; setting a deadline; specifying the contents of the analysis; providing for public availability; and generally relating to the enactment of legislation.
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Howard County Council Appointments and County Council Election Results for 2020
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Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee
Representative: Councilmember Rigby, District 3
Alternate: Councilmember Jung, District 4
National Associations of Counties
Representative: Councilmember Rigby, District 3
Alternate: Councilmember Jung, District 4
Board of License Commissioners
Chair: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
Vice Chair: Councilmember Rigby, District 3
Zoning Board
Chair: Councilmember Dr. Opel Jones, District 2
Vice Chair: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
Howard County Council Chairpersons
Chair: Councilmember Jung, District 4
Vice Chair: Councilmember Walsh, District 1
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February's Legislative Session Recap
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Brooke Abercrombie to the Environmental Sustainability Board.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Mae Beale to the Commission for Women.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Brianna Hughes to the Howard County Local Children’s Board.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Barbara Kellner to the Board of Directors of the Downtown Columbia Partnership.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Patricia Warr Marshall to the Housing Commission.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Michael McLellan to the Public Works Board.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kirk Thompson to the Personnel Board.
Status:
Confirmed
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Chuen-Chin Bianca Chang to the Human Rights Commission.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AA RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Nicole Czarnecki to the Commission on Disabilities.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Joshua Kaufman to the Human Rights Commission.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Lawrence E. Quarrick to the Howard County Design Advisory Panel.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Karen Wood to the Commission on Disabilities.
Status:
Confirmed
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Kui Zhao to the Human Rights Commission.
Status:
Confirmed
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT correcting references to the publication year of certain Codes adopted as part of the Howard County Building Code; and generally relating to the regulation of building and construction in Howard County.
Status:
Passed
My Vote:
Yes
Introduced by: Christiana Rigby Co-Sponsored by: Opel Jones, Deb Jung, and Liz Walsh
AN ACT allowing employees of Howard County to make specified disclosures to specified officials; prohibiting a person from retaliating for or limiting certain disclosures; authorizing certain complaints relating to disclosures; providing for confidentiality of certain disclosures; setting certain penalties; providing for the application of this act to certain other measures; and generally relating to whistleblower protection.
Status:
Passed
My Vote:
Yes
Introduced by: Opel Jones Co- Sponsored by: Christiana Rigby and David Yungmann
AN ACT requiring a fiscal analysis for each Bill; specifying that the County Auditor must submit the statement; setting a deadline; specifying the contents of the analysis; providing for public availability; and generally relating to the enactment of legislation.
Status:
Passed as Amended
My Vote:
Yes
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the Howard County Zoning Regulations pertaining to conditional uses to allow the Hearing Authority to grant variances to certain setbacks for a child day care center that is an accessory use to a private academic school conditional use under specified conditions; and generally relating to Howard County Zoning Regulations.
Status:
Tabled
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Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Xi Steven Chen to the Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board.
Status:
Confirmed as Amended
Introduced by: Liz Walsh
AN ACT altering the number of consecutive years a project or phase of a project must be retested if a project fails one or more components of the school capacity test of the Adequate Public Facilities Act of Howard County.
Status:
Extended Life
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT permitting a publicly accessible electric scooter sharing system for short-term electric scooter trips on certain County rights-of way; requiring certain information in support of an application for a permit; requiring permit fees as part of the permit; and generally related to electric scooters on public rights-of-way in Howard County.
Status:
Passed as Amended
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION to close a portion of Roxbury Road as shown in Exhibits A and B in accordance with Section 18.204 of the Howard County Code.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Chuck Bubeck to the Board of Directors of the Downtown Columbia Partnership.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Paul Casey to the Housing Commission.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Lawrence R. Liebesman to the Environmental Sustainability Board.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Daniel Lovette to the Howard County Design Advisory Panel.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Mia C. Williams to the Commission on Disabilities.
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending the Howard County Board of Education Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2020 to appropriate $7,200,000 from its Fiscal Year 2019 unassigned General Fund Balance to its Fiscal Year 2020 Operating Budget Fixed Charges category to reduce its Health Fund Deficit; and generally relating to the Board of Education Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2020.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT pursuant to Section 612 of the Howard County Charter, approving a multiyear Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreement between Howard County, Maryland and KDC Solar Maryland, LLC or an affiliate entity for the purchase of electric power for a term of twenty-five years, with the option for renewals; authorizing the County Executive to take certain actions in connection with the Agreement.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending the Reimbursement rates applicable to one-time reimbursements for an investment in an on-site stormwater best management practice that reduces the impact on the public stormwater management system; providing that certain previously adopted rates shall remain in effect; and generally relating to schedules of rates adopted as part of the Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending the purchase price formula used to determine the price that Howard County pays when purchasing development rights under the Agricultural Land Preservation Program; and specifying that the purchase price formula shall be effective upon passage of the Resolution and shall remain in effect until changed or repealed by Resolution of the County Council.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION endorsing and authorizing the Howard County Executive to file an application with the Maryland Transit Administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation for certain grants under the Federal Transit Act; indicating certain endorsement by the County Executive; and requiring certain copies be sent to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
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Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION adding certain sites to the Cemeteries and Grave Sites Inventory.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION supplementing and amending the Historic Sites Inventory for Howard County by adding two properties to the Inventory and by amending address information related to properties already on the Inventory.
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION endorsing an application by the Patapsco Heritage Greenway, Inc. to the Maryland Heritage Area Authority for approval of amendments to the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area boundaries.
Introduced by: Deb Jung Co- Sponsored by: Christiana Rigby and Liz Walsh
AN ACT to require certain projects to document that the project meets specified bird-friendly design standards; providing for a delay in enforcement of this Act; and generally relating to environmental design.
Introduced by: David Yungmann
AN ACT to allow a landlord to show a model or similar unit to a prospective tenant if the unit to be leased is not vacant under specified circumstances; to repeal the authority of a tenant to terminate a lease without penalty if certain violations are not abated within a certain time; to allow a lease to provide that a tenant will pay specified costs under specified circumstances; to alter the lease payment grace period; to allow for the collection of specified charges; to repeal the prohibition against a lease stating that it is a contract under seal; making a technical correction; and generally relating to landlord-tenant relations.
Introduced by: Christiana Rigby Co-sponsored by: Opel Jones and Liz Walsh
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code to establish a Notice and a Requirement to provide an offer to the County and Housing Commission to Purchase Rental Housing offered for sale in the County; and generally relating to the sale of Rental Housing.
Introduced by: Liz Walsh Co-sponsored by: Deb Jung and Christiana Rigby
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code to adjust, beginning on July 1, 2020, the use of the Housing Unit Allocation Rolling Average provision as defined in the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance; and generally relating to the Housing Unit Allocation Rolling Average provision.
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Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive at the request of Dorsey Overlook, LLLP
AN ACT declaring that a portion of Old Maryland Route 108, containing approximately 1.087
acres, is no longer needed for a public purpose and authorizing the County Executive to
waive the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County
Code in order to convey the County’s property interest to the developer of the adjacent
property, Dorsey Overlook, LLLP.
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION adopting the Housing Unit Allocation Chart for Fiscal Year 2020 pursuant to the Adequate Public Facilities Act of Howard County.
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Unless otherwise noted, the County Council will hold its meetings in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD. The next meetings are as follows:
- Monday, March 9, 2020; Joint Meeting with the Board of Education (C. Vernon Gray Room)
- Monday, March 16, 2020; Monthly Meeting (C. Vernon Gray Room)
- Monday, March 16, 2020; Legislative Public Hearing
- Friday, March 20, 2020; Legislative Work Session (C. Vernon Gray Room)
Please note these date are subject to change. To access the most up-to-date calendar of meetings in it entirety, click
here
.
Cant attend a meeting but still want to stay involved? You can stream the Council's sessions
online
and click on the meeting you would like to watch. The Council's sessions are also streamed in real time on this website.
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