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. To sign-up in advance to testify at the upcoming Public Hearing 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.
Howard County Council Appointments and County Council Election Results for 2024
Howard County Council Chairpersons
Chair: Councilmember Deb Jung, District 4
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Liz Walsh, District 1

Zoning Board
Chair: Councilmember Liz Walsh, District 1
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Dr. Opel Jones, District 2

Board of License Commissioners
Chair: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
Vice-Chair: Councilmember Dr. Opel Jones, District 2

Maryland Association of Counties Legislative Committee
Representative: Councilmember Christiana Rigby, District 3
Alternate: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5

National Associations of Counties
Representative: Christiana Rigby, District 3
Alternate: Councilmember David Yungmann, District 5
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
Appointments

CR14-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kelly Cimino as an additional nonvoting Commissioner to the Housing Commission.

CR15-2024 - 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.

Reappointments

CR16-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Jin Chung to the Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission.

CR17-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Sanjeev Gholap to the Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission.

CR18-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Saffiyah Madraswala to the Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission.

Financial

CB5-2024 - Introduced by The 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 2024 in order to receive Water Quality State Revolving Funds in the amount of $23,500,000 from the State of Maryland for the County’s Safe and Sound project; adding loan funding to Capital Project C0337, Ellicott City Improvements and Enhancements; and declaring that this Act is an Emergency Bill necessary to meet a public emergency affecting life, health or property. 

CB6-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
AN ACT pursuant to Section 612 of the Howard County Charter, approving Lease Agreement between Howard County, Maryland and AAK II, LLC, a Maryland Limited Liability Company, for approximately 13,057 square feet of rentable space in a building located at 7095 Samuel Morse Drive, Columbia, Maryland, under the terms of which the County agrees to pay certain costs associated with the premises; authorizing the County Executive to enter into the Lease Agreement and to make changes to the Lease Agreement before executing it, under certain conditions; and generally relating to a multi-year Lease.

CR19-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION adopting a permit fee for the Publicly Accessible Electric Scooter Sharing System.

General

CB7-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
AN ACT reorganizing the Executive Branch of County Government pursuant to Section 403 of the Howard County Charter; moving the Office of Consumer Protection to the Department of County Administration; establishing an Office of Agriculture within the Department of County Administration; establishing an Opioid Restitution Fund Commission within the Department of Community Resources and Services; setting forth the duties and qualifications of the Opioid Restitution Fund Commission; providing that the Office of Community Partnerships within the Department of Community Resources and Services shall perform certain functions with regard to the receipt of Opioid Restitution Funds; setting forth the duties and qualifications of the Administrator of the Office of Agriculture; removing certain functions from the Office of Community Sustainability that will be functions of the Office of Agriculture; moving the function of administering homelessness services to the Department of Housing and Community Development; requiring that members of the Opioid Restitution Fund Commission provide certain financial disclosure statements; clarifying certain duties; making certain technical corrections; and generally relating to the Executive Branch of County Government. 

CR20-2024 - 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.

CR21-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the Howard County Council 
A RESOLUTION calling the County Council of Howard County, Maryland into legislative session on specified dates.

CB8-2024 - Introduced by Liz Walsh AN ACT amending the process for approving waivers which allow for alternative compliance to protections of wetlands, streams, and steep slopes; requiring the Departments that grant the waivers to adhere to certain requirements; and generally relating to the alternative compliance for protection of wetlands, streams, and steep slopes.

CB9-2024 - Introduced by Christiana Rigby Co-sponsor(s) Opel Jones, Deb Jung
AN ACT amending the Public Protection Services title of the Code to require Motor Vehicle Fueling Station operators to add the highest price on their fuel pricing signs; and generally relating to Motor Vehicle Fueling Stations.

CR22-2024 - Introduced by Liz Walsh 
A RESOLUTION demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza; calling upon the Biden administration to facilitate certain humanitarian assistance into Gaza; and urging certain elected officials to take immediate action to use their position and influence to end this humanitarian crisis.
Final Consideration
Appointments

CR1-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kristen Aybar OTR/L, to the Commission on Aging.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR2-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Barbara Darley, JD, to the Commission on Aging.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR3-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Arthur Gold to the Commission on Aging.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR4-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of James Earl Hollywood III to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR5-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Steven Hunt to the Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board.
Status: Tabled

CR6-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Julie-Ann S. Hutchinson to the Board of Social Services.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR7-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Carol Miller to the Board of Social Services.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR8-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Renee F. Williams to the Commission on Aging.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR9-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Thomas Zei to the LGBTQIA+ Commission.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

CR10-2024 - 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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

Reappointments

CR11-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of James Jiyu Obasiolu to the Environmental Sustainability Board.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

Financial

CB1-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
AN ORDINANCE authorizing and empowering the County to issue up to $17,200,000 of its special obligation refunding bonds at a maximum interest rate not to exceed 6.10% per annum in order to refinance the cost of certain public improvements relating to the development district in Howard County, Maryland known as the “Annapolis Junction Town Center Development District” (the “Development District”) and the special taxing district in Howard County, Maryland known as the “Annapolis Junction Town Center Special Taxing District” (the “Special Taxing District”) and other costs permitted under the Acts (as identified herein) through the issuance of bonds to refund the County’s outstanding Special Obligation Bonds (Annapolis Junction Town Center Project) 2014 Series; providing that such bonds and the interest thereon shall never constitute a general obligation of the County or a pledge of its full faith and credit; providing for the further specification, prescription, determination, provision for or approval of various other matters, details, documents and procedures in connection with the authorization, issuance, security, sale and payment for any such bonds; making certain legislative findings; and generally ratifying the levy, imposition, collection and application of such special tax and the issuance of refunding bonds in accordance with the Acts identified herein.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended
 
General

CB2-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
AN ACT approving and providing for a multi-year Installment Purchase Agreement by Howard County, Maryland to acquire development rights in approximately 56.02 acres of agricultural land located at 1611 Saint Michaels Road, Woodbine, Howard County, Maryland, from Rhonda Winkler and Jeff Winkler or any other owner thereof for a maximum purchase price of $2,191,600 or, if less in acreage, not more than $39,120 per acre or portion thereof, rounded to the next highest $100, plus interest on the deferred portion of such purchase price; providing that the County's obligation to pay such purchase price and interest on the deferred portion of such purchase price shall be a full faith and credit general obligation of the County; providing for the levying of taxes for such payments; authorizing the County Executive to modify such Agreement; and providing for and determining various matters in connection therewith.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

CB3-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
AN ACT imposing a cap on the amount of damages that can be awarded to a person aggrieved by a prohibited employment action; and generally relating causes of action and the award of civil remedies.
Status: Tabled

CR12-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive 
A RESOLUTION pursuant to the Howard County Cable Television Systems Franchise Act, granting a franchise renewal application received from Comcast of Howard County, LLC and providing that the parties shall agree on the terms of a franchise agreement within a certain time.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

CR13-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the Howard County Council 
A RESOLUTION amending the Rules of Procedure of the Howard County Council that allow for the creation and reading of legislative short titles under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the Rules of Procedure of the Howard County Council.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

CB4-2024 - Introduced by Liz Walsh AN ACT repealing certain provisions of law that provide optional methods for a developer to provide moderate income housing units under the zoning regulations and that allow a developer to request permission from the Director of Housing to use alternative compliance to certain optional methods; repealing certain provisions of law relating to market-based required alternatives to the moderate income housing unit obligation; repealing certain provisions of law relating to alternatives to moderate income housing unit obligation in certain zones; repealing certain provisions of law relating to the sale of moderate income housing units; repealing certain provisions of law relating to the rental of moderate income housing units; altering certain definitions and certain regulations; and generally relating to the sale of moderate income housing units.
My Vote: No
Status: Failed

CR22-2024 - Introduced by Liz Walsh A RESOLUTION demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza; calling upon the Biden administration to facilitate certain humanitarian assistance into Gaza; and urging certain elected officials to take immediate action to use their position and influence to end this humanitarian crisis. 
My Vote: No
Status: Failed
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. Meetings will be held in person and virtually. The next meetings are as follows:

  • Council Joint Meeting with Board of Education: Monday, February 12h at 9:45 AM
  • Offices Closed - Presidents' Day: Monday, February 19th
  • Legislative Public Hearing: Tuesday, February 20th at 7 PM
  • Legislative Work Session: Tuesday, February 27th at 9:30 AM


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