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Howard County Council updates consumer-protection law after amendments; bill passes
Summary
After a package of administration amendments the council approved a modernized consumer-protection ordinance (CB 67) that revises definitions, clarifies enforcement authority, and excludes professions regulated by state law.
The Howard County Council approved Council Bill 67, a comprehensive update to the county’s consumer-protection code, following a series of technical and substantive amendments from the administration.
The revisions clarify definitions (including what constitutes a "person" and what counts as "merchandise"), strengthen language around deceptive or unfair trade practices, add a definition of "unconscionable," and limit the local statute’s reach by excluding professions already regulated by state boards (such as attorneys and certain licensed health professionals). Several amendments also adjusted the bill’s enforcement language, including how the county may document investigation costs and pursue restitution or damages.
Tracy (consumer-protection lead, who participated in drafting), explained the changes were modeled on commonly used statutory language in neighboring jurisdictions and aimed to remove ambiguous phrasing while preserving enforcement authority. Some council members expressed reservations about revisions they said were prompted by outside businesses; one member said she likely would oppose several amendments, while others defended the edits as clarifying and modernizing a code that had not been updated in decades.
The council moved through a sequence of amendments and adopted them by roll-call votes; the final, amended bill passed on a roll-call at the end of the agenda. Supporters said the update would bring county law into alignment with current business practices and judicial precedent; critics said some amendments softened enforcement or reflected undue influence by regulated industries.
The consumer-protection office will finalize implementation procedures and update public guidance; the council’s adoption authorizes the county to proceed with enforcement consistent with the amended text.
Votes and next steps: The council approved multiple discrete amendments before passing the final ordinance; the consumer-protection division will prepare implementing procedures and contact points for enforcement and public complaints.
