Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has decided to let a significant amount of legislation become law without his signature…here is a listing: HOUSE BILLS | SENATE BILLS

3 Howard County Delegation Bills are included in that list and will become law…they are:

HB0869 – Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Marketplace License Ho. Co. 06–19

Establishing a marketplace license in Howard County; authorizing the Board of License Commissioners to issue the license to certain individuals; requiring an applicant for a marketplace license to include a list of the names of vendors and agents within the marketplace that will be authorized to sell beer, wine, and liquor under the license; authorizing a license holder to obtain a refillable container permit and a nonrefillable container permit under certain conditions; establishing an annual license fee of $6,000; etc.

HB1166 – Howard County – Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags Ho. Co. 04-19

Authorizing Howard County to impose, by law, a fee on certain retail establishments for the use of disposable bags as part of a retail sale of products; limiting the amount of the fee to not more than 5 cents for each disposable bag used; defining “disposable bag” as a plastic bag provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale; requiring the county to use certain revenue only for a certain environmental purpose or the implementation, administration, and enforcement of the fee; etc.

HB1409 – Howard County – School Facilities Surcharge – Rates Ho. Co. 03-19

Altering the amount of the school facilities surcharge in Howard County for certain types of residential construction; authorizing the County Council of Howard County to enact a local law providing for the annual alteration of the amount of the school facilities surcharge based on consideration of certain issues; prohibiting the County Council from imposing a school facilities surcharge on residential new construction that is classified as senior housing and an affordable housing unit under certain provisions of the County Code; etc.

I am sad no action was taken on HB1166. Now we wait and see what the Howard County Council will do…will they choose to implement a tax on shoppers that accept plastic bags at checkout, will they choose the better option of banning plastic bags or will they not take this issue up this year.

I promise I will be watching closely.

Scott E