Back in late January I wrote about the Howard County Delegation Hearing on Statewide Issues – February 20, 2018 and noted “When the agenda is released…I will try and get out another post”…well…the agenda has been announced…so here is my post. This was sent out in an email earlier today:

Public Notice for Hearing on Statewide Issues

The Howard County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly, chaired by Senator Clarence Lam and Delegate Terri Hill, will hold a public hearing for citizen input on statewide issues that may be considered by the legislature during the upcoming legislative session. The hearing is scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 – 7:30 p.m.

Banneker Room, George Howard Building

3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD

Howard County local bills and bonds that have not yet had a public hearing will also be heard at the beginning of the meeting. The remaining portion of the meeting will be devoted to statewide issues. No Howard County local bills or bond requests that were previously given a public hearing will be heard. The agenda for the hearing is attached. The hearing may be followed by a brief Delegation voting session.

While speaking is not a requirement, the Delegation will hear testimony from members of the public on any statewide issue they would like to bring to the Delegation’s attention. There will be a 3 minute limit to testimonies. Signup will begin at 7:00pm in the Banneker Room and will close at 7:20pm. Advance sign up is not available. You are encouraged to bring 15 – 20 copies of your testimony for the Delegation.

For further information, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Kam Bridges

Howard County Delegation Administrator

Maryland General Assembly

The Maryland House of Delegates

6 Bladen Street, Room 214B

Annapolis, MD 21401

phone: 410 -841-3360, 301-858-3360

e-mail: hoc1@mlis.state.md.us

Here is the information in the attachment:

Bond Initiative Requests

Carrolton Hall Restoration, Ho. Co. 19-19, $200,000; Sponsored by: Senator Hester and Delegate Watson

Gateway Innovation Center, Ho. Co. 20-19, $500,000; Sponsored by: Senator Guzzone

Carroll Baldwin Hall Renovations, Ho. Co. 21-19, $315,000; Sponsored by: Delegate Terrasa

2nd Ellicott Quaker Schoolhouse – Rehabilitation/Children’s Museum, Ho. Co. 23-19, $100,000; Sponsored by: Delegate Watson

Humanin – iHomes Affordable Housing Construction, Ho. Co. 24-19, $100,000; Sponsored by: Delegate Terrasa

Linwood School Overflow Parking, Ho. Co. 27-19, $100,000; Sponsored by: Senator Guzzone and Delegate Watson

Early Childhood Education Center, Ho. Co. 28-19, $50,000; Sponsored by: Delegate Terrasa

Proposed Local Bills

Howard County – Ethics – Limit on Developer Contributions, Ho. Co. 12-19 By: Delegate Miller

FOR the purpose of repealing existing provisions of law related to developer contributions in Howard County; prohibiting an applicant or applicant’s agent from making a payment to a member of the Howard County Council, the Howard County Executive, or a slate that includes a member of the County Council or the County Executive, during the pendency of a certain application; prohibiting a member of the Howard County Council from voting or participating in a proceeding on a certain application if certain payments were received during a certain period; requiring an applicant to file an affidavit disclosing certain information related to payments involving a member of the County Council; requiring an agent of an applicant to file an affidavit under certain circumstances; repealing certain definitions; and generally relating to public ethics and Howard County.

Howard County – Howard County School Board Determining School Calendar, Ho. Co. 25-19

By: Delegate Watson

FOR the purpose of establishing the Howard County Board of Education as the body responsible for setting the school calendar and determining the opening and closing dates of the school year.

Howard County – Howard County Housing Commission – Subsidiary Entities, Ho. Co. 26-19

By: Delegate Feldmark

FOR the purpose of providing that a nonprofit entity shall be deemed controlled by the Howard County Housing Commission under certain circumstances; altering the applicability of certain tax exemption provisions to include a subsidiary entity of a certain Howard County Housing Commission entity; defining a certain term; making stylistic changes; and generally relating to the Howard County Housing Commission.

Howard County – Dep. of Corrections – Authority to Establish Programs Ho. Co. 29-19

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

Legislation still in Bill Drafting and will be posted on the Howard County Delegation website once complete.

Howard County – Collection and Allocation of County Transfer Tax, Ho. Co. 30-19

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

Legislation still in Bill Drafting and will be posted on the Howard County Delegation website once complete.

For further information, contact Kam Bridges at the Howard County Delegation office at 410-841-3360 or hoc1@mlis.state.md.us.​​

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A few notes from me…

A 7:00pm start time…probably not going to be a session I attend in person.

The “You are encouraged to bring 15 – 20 copies of your testimony for the Delegation” just seems funny to me in an era where the environment is such a big topic. There has to be a better way than this to get testimony to the delegation members.

I would expect that HoCo 25-19 would get much support at this meeting.

HoCo 12-19 is one is great interest….especially the “prohibiting a member of the Howard County Council from voting or participating in a proceeding on a certain application if certain payments were received during a certain period”…that could have a big impact going forward….and I am betting there will be many that may challenge this…that is my guess at the moment.

My guess is that this will be live streamed…so that I how I plan on watching. How about you? Do you have items that are of particular interest that I should be following?

Scott E