Prince George's County committee advances package of beautification bills

The Prince George's County Committee of the Whole voted on June 2 to advance a package of six beautification bills aimed at speeding cleanup of illegal dumping and litter, improving public reporting, strengthening vacant-property enforcement, increasing penalties for illegal signs, creating an enforcement incentive program, and establishing a vacant-property tax rate.

Chair Oriaga, who sponsored the package, introduced CB41, the "Clean Corridors and Rapid Response Act of 2026," to create a program for expedited removal of illegal dumping and litter in designated areas. Josh Hamlin, county staff, summarized amendments that remove specific references to the Department of Public Works and Transportation and instead assign responsibility to "the agency or agencies so designated by the county executive." Hamlin also described an uncodified section expressing the council's expectation that the act be implemented by the existing Strike Force 311 program, and said the amendment would shift initial designation authority so the executive may designate corridors on its own initiative or at the council's request. "What that amendment does is basically remove references to Department of Public Works and Transportation as a responsible agency and replace it with the agency or agencies so designated by the county executive," Hamlin said.

Council member Genoga asked whether corridor designation would require a council resolution or a letter from council offices; staff said the process is expected to be correspondence to the executive but left the option for a council resolution if the executive declines. Council member Fisher pressed on the bill's requirement that cleanup occur "within 48 hours of receiving the report," asking how weekend reports would be treated. Chair Oriaga and staff clarified the bill does not explicitly exclude weekend hours and that the Strike Force 311 rapid-response team is intended to provide operational flexibility.

After debate, the committee unanimously approved the CB41 amendments and then moved CB41 as amended out of committee (final recorded votes for both actions showed unanimous approval in committee: motions carried 7–0). The county executive's liaison told the committee the "Office of the County Executive is favorable as amended." (Liaison comment recorded in committee.)

The committee then considered CB42, the "Clean Communities Transparency Dashboard Act of 2026," which would require the Office of Community Relations to publish a public dashboard with data on illegal dumping and cleanup efforts. Staff proposed changing the bill's effective date from 45 days after enactment to six months; that amendment was approved and the bill moved out of committee (amendment: 7–0; final recorded committee vote: 6–0).

CB43, the "Vacant Property Maintenance and Abatement Act," was amended to make a technical typographical correction and to replace references to the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement with the Office of Homeland Security Code Compliance to reflect an organizational change; the committee approved the amendments and moved the bill favorably (6–0 recorded).

CB44, the "Illegal Signage Enforcement Act of 2026," would strengthen enforcement and require public utilities to remove illegal signs on their infrastructure. Staff noted an Office of Law revision deleting language that would have attempted to impose an evidentiary standard on state courts; that deletion does not change the bill's substance. The committee approved the amendment and advanced CB44 (motions carried 7–0).

CB45, the "See It, Snap It, Get Paid" beautification enforcement incentive program, was amended to update agency references and extend the effective date from 45 days to six months; the amendments and the bill as amended passed committee (6–0 recorded).

CB46 would set a special real property tax rate for vacant houses and buildings cited as vacant and unfit for habitation or otherwise cited on a housing or building violation notice, and deposit proceeds into a nonlapsing fund to be expended by council resolution. Staff explained amendments clarifying the measure applies to both residential and commercial property and removing certain text so that proceeds remain subject to council resolution for expenditure. The committee approved the amendments and moved CB46 as amended (motions carried 7–0).

Chair Oriaga thanked county administration and colleagues for moving the package forward and said she "looks forward to passing [the package] when it comes before us for the last public hearing." The council's schedule reminders and a notice of upcoming hearings were provided before the meeting adjourned.

What comes next: each bill advanced by the committee will return to the council for further consideration, including the required public hearing(s) and final votes on the council floor.