Howard County Council introduces multiple bills, approves appointments and a public-safety tax credit; one appointment tabled

The Howard County Council convened a hybrid legislative session and introduced several bills and resolutions, set a public hearing for June 16 and approved multiple appointments and measures on final consideration.

The council, chaired by Liz Walsh, announced that the legislative session will be available in person and virtually and that a hybrid public hearing on the newly introduced legislation will be held Monday, June 16 at 7 p.m. A work session on new legislation was scheduled for Monday, June 23 at 9:30 a.m.

The council clerk read a package of legislation for introduction. Items introduced included: Council Bill 46-20-25 (a property tax credit for certain commercial or industrial properties adjacent to Route 1 that are renovated or rehabilitated, including application procedures and a sunset provision); Council Bill 47-20-25 (a multi-year collective bargaining agreement between Howard County and the International Association of Firefighters, Howard County Local 2000, effective through fiscal year 2027, and related pay-plan amendments); amendments to the county pay plan for specialty pay for management employees in Fire and Rescue; lease amendments (including a third amendment with P Portfolio Owner LLC for roughly 8,188 rentable square feet at Patuxent Woods Drive and an amendment with Merit HR LLC for about 13,500 rentable square feet at 9515 Gerwin Lane); Council Resolution 1-13-2025 (adopting the school capacity chart under the Adequate Public Facilities Act); Council Resolution 1-14-2025 (adopting the housing unit allocation chart); and bills and resolutions related to speed monitoring systems in school zones and penalties/fees for commercial motor vehicle parking in residential areas. The clerk read those introduction items into the record during the session.

On final consideration and votes, the council approved a block of appointment resolutions and other items by roll call. The council approved Council Resolutions 82-20-25 through 87-20-25 (appointments and reappointments to advisory and commission posts) by unanimous recorded vote: Chair Liz Walsh — yes; Dr. Opal Jones — yes; Miss Young — yes; Christiana Rigby — yes; Mr. Youngman — yes.

Council Resolution 81-20-25 (appointment of Jennifer Jenkins to the Local Behavioral Health Advisory Board) was moved and seconded for tabling; the council voted to table CR 81-20-25 because, as stated on the record, Jenkins was not able to attend the first public hearing. The motion to table passed by roll call: Chair Walsh — yes; Dr. Opal Jones — yes; Miss Young — yes; Miss Rigby — yes; Mr. Youngman — yes.

On a separate item, Council Bill 33-20-25 (a public-safety officer tax credit for auxiliary officers) was moved, seconded and approved. Dr. Opal Jones commented in support during the roll call period, saying, “Glad to see this, hopefully will be approved tonight.” The final recorded vote on CB 33-20-25 was recorded as yes from the same council members listed above; the clerk announced the bill passes.

The council later removed Council Resolution 70-20-25 from the table and approved it. That resolution appoints Ashlyn M. Hood to the Advisory Board on Consumer Protection; it passed on a recorded roll-call vote with unanimous yes votes recorded.

Procedural items on the agenda — approval of the journals for prior legislative sessions and approval of minutes for multiple budget work sessions and public hearings — were moved, seconded and approved by roll call earlier in the meeting. The clerk called and recorded votes for those approvals.

The session concluded after the final votes and the council adjourned.

Speakers quoted or identified in the record included Chair Liz Walsh and Dr. Opal Jones, and several council members who registered roll-call votes; council staff read and recorded the introduced legislation and votes.