SHARE:  
Greetings!

Welcome to my Legislative Newsletter, highlighting Council Resolutions and Council Bills 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 regular Legislative Session will be Monday, January 3rd at 7:00 PM (meetings will be held in person and virtually). To sign-up in advance to testify, click here.
It is my pleasure to serve you, your family, and the residents of District 2. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office by calling (410) 313-2001 or by emailing ojones@howardcountymd.gov. I hope you will continue to stay engaged by visiting my council website at https://cc.howardcountymd.gov/Districts/District-2.

Sincerely,
The Process
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- Legislative Public Hearing on legislation introduced that month
  • Following the Legislative Public Hearing a Legislative Work Session is held, if needed

Council Bills must be signed or vetoed by the County Executive within 10 days of the Council's presentation of passed legislation.
Highlighted Legislation
Introduced by: Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby
AN ACT establishing a local minimum wage for employees working in Howard County; and generally relating to Howard County minimum wage requirements.
Status: Passed as amended
Howard County Council Appointments and County Council Election Results for 2022
Howard County Council Chairpersons
Chair: Councilmember Opel Jones, District 2
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Christiana Rigby, District 3

Zoning Board
Chair: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Liz Walsh, District 1

Board of License Commissioners
Chair: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Christiana Rigby, District 3

Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee
Representative: Councilmember Liz Walsh, District 1
     Alternate: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4

National Associations of Counties
Representative: Councilmember Liz Walsh, District 1
      Alternate: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4
Council-Related Legislation
Howard County Council Legislation

Unless otherwise noted, the following legislation is introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.
Introduced Legislation (pending introduction)
Introduced by: David Yungmann based on the recommendation of the Redistricting Commission
AN ACT repealing and reenacting Subtitle 3 “Councilmanic Districts” of Title 5 “County Council” of the Howard County Code to adopt redistricting maps and council district descriptions which will establish new council districts for Howard County in accordance with Howard County Charter Section 202(f) “Redistricting”; and generally relating to Councilmanic Redistricting.
My Vote: No
Status: Failed
Legislation for Final Consideration
APPOINTMENTS

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Bert J. Nash, Jr. to the Housing Commission.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved as amended

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Gregory Schuckman to the Commission on Disabilities.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Steven L. Towne to the Commission on Disabilities.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending a Resolution previously adopted by the County Council to correct the term of an appointment to the Howard County Housing Commission.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION approving a list of Howard County residents to be sent to the Governor, in accordance with State law, so that the Governor may choose one of the residents from the list to fill a vacancy on the Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board and amending the term of a previously adopted Resolution confirming appointments to the Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

REAPPOINTMENTS

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Elizabeth Oyebode to the Commission for Women.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

FINANCIAL

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION approving supplemental appropriation of unassigned fund balance to the Howard County Board of Education’s Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2023, per request of the Board of Education; to increase the Board of Education’s General Fund appropriation by $15 million through adding $15 million in use of the School System’s Fund Balance; and generally relating to the Fiscal Year 2022 Operating Budget of the Board of Education.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

GENERAL

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT to establish a Police Accountability Board; setting forth the qualifications for members and method of appointment; setting forth the process for selection of the board chairperson; providing for a process to receive certain complaints alleging police misconduct; setting forth the duties of the Board; defining certain terms; providing for the requirement to submit financial disclosure statements; providing for the staggering of initial appointments to the Board; providing for the application of this Act; and generally relating to police accountability in Howard County.
Status: Tabled

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending provisions of the Police and Fire Employees’ Retirement Plan in order to remove certain distinctions between management firefighters and firefighters with regard to unused sick leave; and generally relating to the Howard County Pension for Police and Fire Employees.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT to update County housing discrimination law to comply with Subtitle 7 of Title 20 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland by amending the definition of source of income, amending provisions related to unlawful discrimination in the sale and rental of housing, amending provisions related to unlawful discrimination based on source of income, amending certain exemptions related to age-restricted housing, owner-occupied dwellings and source of income, all to align with State Law; prohibiting discrimination in commercial leases; amending provisions related to nonexclusive remedies; and generally related to Human Rights provisions of the County Code.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT providing that the Fee-in-Lieu for Moderate Income Housing Units and the Building Excise Tax shall be paid at the time of building permit issuance in order to align with the timing of payment of the School Facilities Surcharge; and generally related to fees collected by the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code declaring that 10.18 acres of land owned by Howard County, Maryland located on Resort Road, Ellicott City, is no longer needed by the County for public purposes; authorizing the County Executive to convey the property to the Board of Education of Howard County; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code in order to convey the property; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to convey the property if he finds that it may have a further public use.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code declaring that portions of a Sewer and Utility Easement, containing approximately 1,189 square feet is no longer needed by the County for public purposes; authorizing the County Executive to convey the easement interest in the property to the fee simple owner, PS Atlantic Coast 2021 B LLC; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code in order to convey the easement interests to PS Atlantic Coast 2021 B LLC; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to terminate the easement interests if he finds that the easements may have a public use.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION finding that the Greenfields development located at 8120 Hicks Road, which will create three new, single-family, detached rental housing units to serve nine disabled adults, meets the requirements of certain Special Affordable Housing Opportunities pursuant to the Adequate Public Facilities Act and that the Director of the Department of Planning and Zoning shall authorize the Development to proceed subject to all other provisions of the Act despite being located in an area that is closed for development due to the projected enrollment in the school capacity chart.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

Introduced by: Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby
AN ACT establishing a local minimum wage for employees working in Howard County; and generally relating to Howard County minimum wage requirements.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Introduced by: The Chair at the request of Dunteachin Estates Homeowners Association, Inc.
AN ACT amending the Howard County Zoning Regulations pertaining to Age-Restricted Adult Housing conditional uses by reducing the maximum number of dwelling units allowed per net acre in Residential: Environmental Development (R-ED) and Residential: Single (R-20) zoning districts; limiting the square-footage of a certain number of Age-Restricted units; increasing the square-footage of required community buildings in certain circumstances; and generally relating to Age-Restricted Adult Housings.
Status: Tabled

Introduced by: Liz Walsh
AN ACT to prohibit the willful failure to do specified maintenance and repair of certain historic structures thus prohibiting certain demolition by neglect of those structures; allowing the Historic District Commission to waive compliance in certain cases of financial hardship; providing for a hearing and an opportunity to cure specified violations; and generally relating to historic structures, historic sites, and historic districts in the County.
Status: Tabled

Introduced by: David Yungmann
AN ACT establishing a “lookback” provision for the disturbance of certain trees; providing for enhanced enforcement measures and penalties for violations of the Forest Conservation Act of Howard County; and generally relating to forest conservation in the County.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT prohibiting the cutting or clearing of certain specimen trees; providing that a property owner may proceed under certain conditions and upon the submission and approval of certain applications; providing for the contents of certain applications; providing for the criteria to use in the review of certain applications; providing for certain exemptions; requiring certain compliance; providing certain penalties for noncompliance; requiring surety for forest retention; defining certain terms; and generally related to forest conservation and the preservation of natural cover in Howard County.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Failed

Introduced by: Deb Jung and Christiana Rigby
AN ACT to provide for a hearing examiner to hear certain matters in the jurisdiction of the Zoning Board; specifying the powers and duties of, and the procedures to be used by, the hearing examiner, including the requirement to issue a certain report; specifying the contents of the report; specifying the duties of the Zoning Board with respect to the actions of the hearing examiner; clarifying when certain mediation occurs; providing for the rights of the parties, including the right to file exceptions, in matters heard by the hearing examiner; and generally relating to Piecemeal map amendments and development plan approvals.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Introduced by: Liz Walsh
AN ACT adding new definitions to the Forest Conservation ordinance; establishing a “look-back” provision for the disturbance of certain trees; reducing the diameter threshold to 24 inches for forest retention; and generally relating to forest conservation in the County.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended
Upcoming Council Meetings
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, December 13, 2021 - Joint Meeting with the Board of Education (Meetings will be held in-person and virtually)
  • Monday, December 20, 2021 - Legislative Public Hearing on Redistricting (Meetings will be held in-person and virtually)

Please note these dates are subject to change. To access the most up-to-date calendar of meetings in its entirety, click here.

Can't 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.