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

CR23-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Hannah Eunji Chang to the Commission for Women.

CR24-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kristen Mahoney to the Commission for Women.

CR25-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ted L. Meyerson to the Advisory Board on Consumer Protection.

CR26-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Shannon B. Taitt to the Commission for Women.

CR27-2024 - Introduced by Christiana Rigby A RESOLUTION appointing Robbyn Harris to the Board of Appeals of Howard County, Maryland, to fill a term ending on December 31, 2028.

Reappointments

CR29-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Pedro Ramirez to the Public Works Board. Financial

CR30-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending the Howard County Health Department Operating Budget, as adopted by Council Resolution No. 70-2023, to account for additional funding received from the State of Maryland; and generally relating to the Health Department Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2024.

General

CB10-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the Howard County Retirement Plan in order to create an enhanced normal retirement benefit for Dispatchers, adding and amending certain definitions; increasing the amount of employee pick up contributions to be made by participating Dispatchers, changing the normal retirement age for participating Dispatchers and generally relating to the Howard County Retirement Plan. expires – 05/13/2024; extended – 06/17/2024; extended twice – 07/22/2024

CB11-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT adopting the 2023 National Electrical Code as the Electrical Code for Howard County; regulating the design, construction, alteration, improvement or modification to electrical equipment; adopting certain local amendments to the Electrical Code; making certain technical corrections; and generally relating to the electrical code in Howard County. expires – 05/13/2024; extended – 06/17/2024; extended twice – 07/22/2024

CB12-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the membership of the Local Children’s Board to add certain ex officio members and to amend the total number of members accordingly; and generally relating to the Local Children’s Board. expires – 05/13/2024; extended – 06/17/2024; extended twice – 07/22/2024

CR31-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION authorizing the sale of certain microwave network equipment owned by Howard County to the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems upon such terms and conditions as the County Purchasing Agent deems proper..

CR32-2024 - Introduced by The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to the Howard County Cable Televisions Systems Franchise Act, granting the renewal of a cable franchise agreement to Comcast of Howard County, LLC under certain terms and conditions.

CB13-2024 - Introduced by Deb Jung AN ACT establishing the Trap-Neuter-Return program for community cats, specifying the purpose and administration of the program, defining certain terms; and generally relating to the Trap-Neuter-Return program. expires – 05/13/2024; extended – 06/17/2024; extended twice – 07/22/2024

CB14-2024 - Introduced by The Chair at the request of Corridor 70/32, LLC
AN ACT amending the Howard County Zoning Regulations to amend the Flex space land use classification of the Planned Office Research (POR) zoning district by defining the light manufacturing uses permitted as a matter of right to include “Contractor’s Office and Outdoor or Indoor Storage Facility, Self-Storage Facilities, Warehouses, Moving and Storage Establishments and Light Industrial Uses”; removing the restriction to limit the light manufacturing uses to those uses permitted in the PEC District; and generally relating to light manufacturing uses in the POR zoning district. expires – 05/13/2024; extended – 06/17/2024; extended twice – 07/22/2024
Final Consideration
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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved


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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved

Appointment to Amend

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Approved as amended

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. 
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

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. 
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed

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.
My Vote: No
Status: Failed

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Passed as amended
Tabled Legislation
 General

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.
My Vote: Yes
Status: Removed from table and 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. Meetings will be held in person and virtually. The next meetings are as follows:

  • Council Monthly Meeting: Tuesday, March 12th at 9:30 AM
  • Legislative Public Hearing: Monday, March 18th at 7 PM
  • Legislative Work Session: Tuesday, March 26th at 9:30 AM
  • Closed (Good Friday): Friday, March 29th


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