Dear Friend,

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 [email protected]. The next Legislative Public Hearing will be Monday, January 19th at 7 PM off-site (meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants). To sign-up in advance to testify, click here.

It is my pleasure to serve you, your family, and 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 [email protected]. 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- 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 the Council's presentation of passed legislation.
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.
Howard County Council Appointments and County Council Election Results for 2021
Howard County Council Chairpersons
Chair: Councilmember Elizabeth Walsh, District 1
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Opel Jones, District 2

Zoning Board
Chair: Councilmember Christiana Rigby, District 3
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4

Board of License Commissioners
Chair: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4

Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee
Representative: Councilmember Opel Jones, District 2
     Alternate: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4

National Associations of Counties
Representative: Councilmember Jones, District 2
      Alternate: Councilmember Jung, District 4
Introduced Legislation
Appointments
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Nailah Brock, Ph.D. to the Board of Social Services.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Maurice C. Frazier to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ralph C. Glover, Jr. to the Board of Social Services.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ayesha Holmes to the Local Behavioral Health Advisory Board.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Shoshanah Hornum to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Elizabeth Kromm to the Commission on Aging.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Chalise Cassandra Latimer to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ivette Lopez to the Board of Social Services.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Rev. Dr. Elizabeth R. Sapp Jones to the Board of Social Services.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION appointing Amy Renee Brooks to the Board of Appeals of Howard County, Maryland, to fill a term ending on December 31, 2025.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION appointing David Marker, Everlene Cunningham, McNeal Brown, Mahesh S. Kukata, Chris Oxenham, Ray Serrano, and Donna Hill Staton to the Councilmanic Redistricting Commission and naming Donna Hill Staton as the Chairperson of the Commission; and generally relating to Councilmanic Redistricting.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jerome Rollerson to the Advisory Board on Consumer Protection.
Financial
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ORDINANCE approving the execution and delivery by Howard County, Maryland (the “County”) of a conditional purchase agreement or funding agreement (the “Conditional Purchase Agreement”) in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 in order to refinance one or more lease agreements of the County and to pay the costs of such refinancing; providing that the County’s obligation to make purchase installment payments under the Conditional Purchase Agreement shall be subject to annual appropriation by the County Council of Howard County, Maryland and shall not constitute indebtedness of the County; providing that the refinancing hereby approved is being undertaken for the purposes of realizing lease payment savings for the County; and generally providing for other matters related to the execution and delivery of the Conditional Purchase Agreement by the County.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT making emergency appropriations pursuant to Section 610(b) of the Howard County Charter and amending the Annual Budget and Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021 in order to fund unanticipated expenses related to COVID-19 response efforts in Howard County in 2021; and declaring that this Act is an Emergency Bill necessary to meet a public emergency affecting life, health or property.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT making emergency appropriations pursuant to Section 610(b) of the Howard County Charter and amending the Annual Budget and Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021 in order to receive additional grant funding from the State; and declaring that this Act is an Emergency Bill necessary to meet a public emergency affecting life, health or property.
General
Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending PlanHoward 2030, the general plan for Howard County, to include The Ellicott City Watershed Master Plan and recognizing that the Plan is a comprehensive, long-range document created by a community-driven vision for historic Ellicott City and the Tiber Branch Watershed; and generally relating to planning, zoning and land use in Howard County.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT requiring that all multiple-line telephone systems allow for the direct dial of 9-1-1; defining certain terms; authorizing certain inspections; providing for certain civil penalties; and generally relating to Telephone Access to the County’s 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending and updating the duties of the Office on Aging and Independence and the Commission on Aging; updating terminology; and generally relating to the Older Howard Countians Act.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.104 of the Howard County Code, amending the Purchasing Manual in order to change the name of the Office of Purchasing to be the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration; to change the name of the Office Administrator accordingly; to make technical corrections; to update the Office’s Mission statement; and generally relating to the Howard County Purchasing Manual.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of Annapolis Junction Town Center, LLC
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.104 of the Howard County Code, amending the Purchasing Manual in order to change the name of the Office of Purchasing to be the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration; to change the name of the Office Administrator accordingly; to make technical corrections; to update the Office’s Mission statement; and generally relating to the Howard County Purchasing Manual.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of Blue Stream LLC
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code, authorizing the County Executive’s sale of real property known as the “Flier Building” owned by Howard County, Maryland, containing approximately 2.159 acres, and located at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Maryland; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code so that the property can be listed with Chartwell Enterprises; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to sell the property if he finds that it may have a further public use.

Introduced by: Chairperson David Yungmann
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code, authorizing the County Executive’s sale of real property known as the “Flier Building” owned by Howard County, Maryland, containing approximately 2.159 acres, and located at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Maryland; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code so that the property can be listed with Chartwell Enterprises; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to sell the property if he finds that it may have a further public use.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code, authorizing the County Executive’s sale of real property known as the “Flier Building” owned by Howard County, Maryland, containing approximately 2.159 acres, and located at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Maryland; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code so that the property can be listed with Chartwell Enterprises; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to sell the property if he finds that it may have a further public use.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code in order to change the name of the Office of Purchasing to be the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration; amending the name of the Administrator accordingly; and generally related to the Office of Purchasing.

Introduced by: Council Member Opel Jones
AN ACT providing that County employees shall take, or refrain from taking, specified actions with respect to the immigration status of specified individuals; prohibiting certain discrimination based on immigration status; requiring that certain information related to citizenship status be kept confidential; providing a procedure whenever specified provisions may be preempted by other law; requiring specified officials to take actions under certain circumstances; and generally relating to human rights in Howard County.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code in order to change the name of the Office of Purchasing to be the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration; amending the name of the Administrator accordingly; and generally related to the Office of Purchasing.

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code in order to change the name of the Office of Purchasing to be the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration; amending the name of the Administrator accordingly; and generally related to the Office of Purchasing.
Legislation for Final Consideration
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION calling the County Council of Howard County, Maryland into legislative session on a specified date. 
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

Introduced by: Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT transferring a total of $54,652,000 from C0214, Category Contingency Fund, to capital project C0364, New Cultural Center, for Fiscal Year 2021.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed
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:

  • Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - Monthly Meeting (Meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants)
  • Monday, January 11, 2021 - Joint Meeting with BOE (Meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants)
  • Monday, January 19, 2021 - Legislative Public Hearing (Meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants)
  • Tuesday, January 19, 2021 - Special Legislative Session - held after the Legislative Public Hearing (Meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants)
  • Monday, January 25, 2021 - Legislative Work Session (Meetings will be held virtually for the safety of all participants)

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.