Council committee reports support for several state bills, authorizes chair's signature

The Prince George's County General Assembly Committee reported to the council on Feb. 11 that it voted to support several pieces of state legislation, and the council authorized the chair to transmit the county's positions to the Prince George's County delegation.

Jabari Cooper presented the committee report, saying the committee supported: House Bill 183 (income tax resident support); House Bill 709 and Senate Bill 651 (landlord-tenant, residential leases and local good-cause termination/good-cause eviction); House Bill 710 (election law provisions affecting incarcerated individuals and a voter hotline and voting eligibility); and Senate Bill 613 (a pilot program for distracted-driving monitoring systems in Montgomery and Prince George's counties).

Councilmember Fisher moved to authorize the chair to sign the correspondence transmitting the council's positions; Councilmember Hawkins seconded. The clerk called the roll and the motion carried on a recorded vote. The roll call recorded unanimous support among those voting; the clerk's tally on the record was all ayes and the motion carried.

The committee report was brief and limited to the items listed; no sponsors or detailed legislative analysis was provided on the floor. The council did not debate the policy merits of the bills at length during the meeting; the action on Feb. 11 was procedural authorization to transmit the positions reported by the General Assembly Committee.