[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6358111,"mediaKeyId","2212813-17f2817b7c82c34c3ab2652c4fc6b7fe","parentId",2212813,"title","Delegation examines HOCO 9-25 to expand school-zone speed cameras and route revenues to deferred maintenance; data requests delay vote","audioSeconds",1193,"startMs",1598335,"endMs",405029,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2212813-17f2817b7c82c34c3ab2652c4fc6b7fe&start=1598&end=405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2212813-17f2817b7c82c34c3ab2652c4fc6b7fe/thumbnail_1598335.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6358111/Maryland/Delegation-examines-HOCO-9-25-to-expand-school-zone-speed-cameras-and-route-revenues-to-deferred-maintenance-data-requests-delay-vote","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6358111-7a29988d233c723826cd1521be79d2cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185115&Signature=QWlMCwFX2LebvB7caXfttxHaA71nHyo8XPIjHC2-YZvagzPrnM2G8pBzP7PhsdicC1tlRZrO8bO6r-djmVq0WMNrkSV~x7y-6DoU4RZptUDlNeB0dnGeq6nLe~V-QIT3onzlrO9Nw-zm3swlgdHBEqCVN2RPqpDUj5AYovbljHS~32pFJ8wdMcqK8KuPFkQlm3A2NWNmJv4BNyN7eZhtUF-j7pHqQWCFyq8wM~18Zyx6iG4ebQTHO~TgFfM1wrhvz~eQto~C9G8JfKjYDebsBinmcUIMg7e~5lAb3RsFjVtA092XCKp~QwjNJVYSruEq0B9hC9bLX8YOJFYjs72Csg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MGA - House Other","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Howard County House Delegation discussed HOCO 9-25, a bill that would expand where the county can place speed-monitoring cameras (outside strict school zones and on specified roads including U.S. Route 1) and would direct any net surplus from the program to a fund for deferred maintenance in county schools.

Delegate Hill, sponsor of HOCO 9-25, said his amendment would require that surplus funds—amounts remaining after the program’s implementation and administrative costs—be used to create “a fund dedicated to deferred maintenance in the schools,” citing long‑standing capital needs. He framed the change as a way to capture modest, unstable revenues for an unmet maintenance backlog.

County staff and law‑enforcement representatives answered delegates’ questions about program performance and costs. Lieutenant Chris Valentine described operational changes that increased citations when the camera deployment model shifted to a data-driven approach, which temporarily raised citation counts by about 20,000 after the new supervisor changed deployment practices. County staff said the program has existed roughly 10 years and that the county is statutorily limited to eight fixed cameras under current county council limits.

Delegates and county staff discussed recent financial results for the speed-monitoring program. The county reported a two‑year deficit in the program and cited an approximately $165,000 deficit figure in materials; staff said part of that shortfall is attributable to a $200,000 transfer from the program to pay for site and crosswalk improvements. A county official calculated that without that $200,000 transfer the program would have shown about a $35,000 surplus in the most recent year. County representatives said they would check procurement records to determine whether vendor contract costs have increased and whether personnel/administration expenses are fixed or scale with citation volume.

Delegates sought more detail before acting. Senator Lam and others asked whether fines contested in court that result in a loss for the county are remitted to the state general fund; county staff said they would verify that process and the amounts involved, noting the county typically has 20–30 contested cases per year. Delegates requested a five‑year breakdown of citations, gross revenue, net revenue and program expenditures, plus documentation of any transfers out of the program and the prioritization criteria county public works uses for pedestrian and bike projects funded from these revenues.

Some delegates favored keeping the program because it produces safety benefits even if revenue fluctuates; others said that if revenues are too small or too unstable for deferred maintenance, they could be better used for near-term pedestrian safety fixes. Deputy Administrator David Cookson and other county officials said pedestrian and bicycle projects are funded from multiple capital sources and are prioritized using crash data, public feedback and plan-based priorities; they also confirmed the pipeline of projects exceeds current funding.

Delegate Hill moved his amendment to direct net surplus to deferred maintenance; the motion was made but no second was recorded and delegates agreed to reconvene with additional data before a vote. The delegation asked staff to schedule an extra meeting in the coming week and to have county public works and procurement officials supply requested documents for the next session.

Next steps: County staff will provide the requested five‑year data breakdown, procurement details and an explanation of how contested citation funds are handled; the delegation will meet again to decide whether to adopt the amendment or the underlying bill.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HOW Committee Session, 1/29/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","The Howard County House Delegation discussed HOCO 9-25, a bill to authorize speed cameras outside school zones and on specified roads and to send any net program surplus to a deferred‑maintenance fund for schools.","taxTitle","Howard, Delegation Committees, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15077,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6358116,"Howard County delegation reviews bill to codify student closures for select religious holidays, tables pending legal review",1517,51455,1569195,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2212813-17f2817b7c82c34c3ab2652c4fc6b7fe&start=51&end=1569","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2212813-17f2817b7c82c34c3ab2652c4fc6b7fe/thumbnail_51455.jpg","/articles/6358116/Maryland/Howard-County-delegation-reviews-bill-to-codify-student-closures-for-select-religious-holidays-tables-pending-legal-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6358116-a93194933d636d37429cc886ed1d7f7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185115&Signature=cwx57-ko9GH5~9HFyhTN1zDLe0bf3KTxH97PhhVGMBkMgx4ZjfJamsLv7nvcZqOEmiufdtJRwRpIus3KijnTdZey~VzGO2yKpE3eZcH5R3WEuH4KhNVN000JZnu9bLCjVjxjBS8RG0lPf7S4TIaIWj5pH9nXAv-sT2sn2a0eP6Onz3BcTaR5v0J90Crb00Fq6q4wWCseHEfb2-Cq3R89ep6DaCXJKdzZrU6pRd9hC3D6h3VEnTYFZgiFbBmzaH1QYbQAsINxeV~AcS2jWK2WyxGBl6dJ~DEyvpg9KZUq4LgHU8iqL9T6voXxgDQAOi~SNrLCbji3uIlwq2HsuueD2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Howard County House Delegation discussed HOCO 10-25 on the county school calendar, a bill that would require schools to close for student attendance on specified holidays beginning in the 2026–27 school year and would limit the statutory closure language to the first day of each listed holiday.

Tara, a staff member who presented a combined set of two amendments, told the delegation, “they clarify that the provisions of this bill would begin for the 2026 to through 2027 school year” and that the amendments “indicate that the closure would be for student attendance only.” Dara, a staff member, summarized the practical effect: “As amended, the bill only creates an obligation for the schools to be closed, as it relates to student activities. It doesn't impact the board's authority relating to offices or administration.”

Delegates pressed whether the change would force the county to lengthen the school year to preserve the required number of instructional minutes. Miss Mala, a member of the Howard County Board of Education present at the meeting, said the measure “can potentially extend the school year because it is requiring that within a hundred and 80 day totality that these be required to be off.” She added that calendars and contractual obligations for staff (she noted most teaching staff have about 193 contractual days) remain constraints the district must meet.

Several delegates noted the bill largely codifies existing practice in Howard County—board members and the county’s calendar committee have treated the listed cultural and religious observances as student closures in recent years—and that the school board has previously declined to adopt a named and numbered policy after legal counsel advised against it. Miss Marlow, identified as board counsel, said she would research and report back the exact reasoning of the counsel opinion that was given about 18 months earlier.

Supporters argued the bill would reduce “othering” of students who must choose between attending school activities and observing religious holidays. One delegate said the change would make the system’s practice explicit so calendar committees and families can plan two years ahead as the district now does.

Opponents and some delegates raised practical concerns: whether staff would be required to use professional-development days or take leave on those dates, whether codifying the days would set a precedent for other counties, and whether the board’s statutory authority over the school calendar would be infringed. Delegates pressed the board representatives on how long the practice has been in place and whether the board retains discretion to close schools fully in any given year; board members confirmed the board retains that discretion.

Because several delegates requested the written legal basis for the board counsel’s earlier recommendation—and several said they wanted the delegation to see that memo before advancing the bill—the delegation agreed to hold the item. A motion to table further discussion until counsel could supply the prior legal advice was made; the mover was not recorded in the transcript and the delegation asked staff to circulate the counsel memorandum by 5 p.m. that day.

Next steps: Delegation staff said they would try to obtain and distribute the board-counsel memorandum and schedule follow-up discussion at an upcoming meeting so delegates could decide whether to proceed with the bill or with amendments addressing the identified concerns.","The Howard County House Delegation discussed HOCO 10-25 on the county school calendar, a bill that would require schools to close for student attendance on specified holidays beginning in the 2026–27 school year and would limit the statutory closure language to the first day of each listed holiday.","actionData","errors"]

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Delegation examines HOCO 9-25 to expand school-zone speed cameras and route revenues to deferred maintenance; data requests delay vote

Howard County delegation reviews bill to codify student closures for select religious holidays, tables pending legal review