Sponsor withdraws HB 0173 after county and state agree to expand local deer-management plan

Sponsor Delegate Naraki withdrew House Bill 0173, titled a deer-management program establishment bill, after announcing that Baltimore County government and the Maryland Department of Agriculture agreed to develop a county-level deer-management plan with more extensive coordination than the legislation would have required.

Naraki told the Baltimore County delegation he had worked “in partnership with the administration” and that county staff and state officials had agreed to implement a local deer-management program coordinated with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. He thanked Amanda Carr, County Executive Klausmeier and the county executive’s team for working on the issue.

County staff confirmed that there is already limited deer management in Baltimore County — the presenter and county staff cited management activity in Oregon Ridge and Cromwell Valley Park — and said a county plan and an MOU with state and federal partners would allow broader, coordinated herd monitoring and management. Secretary Addicks at the Maryland Department of Agriculture was identified as the state contact who would work with the county on the program.

Delegates and county officials said the county’s planned approach aims to be more comprehensive than the targeted activities now in place and to align agencies and partners so management occurs where needed across the county. Delegates noted concerns about crop loss and homeowner/property damage in some areas and welcomed the county–state collaboration as a way to address those impacts.

No vote was taken on HB 0173; the sponsor withdrew the bill at the start of the delegation’s bill hearing and the delegation did not conduct a formal hearing because the sponsor indicated the county and state had reached an operational solution.