2019 Local Bills and Bonds Requests - Legislative Summary

The following Howard County local bills were passed and enacted this session: 

  • HB590, CH150 (Ho. Co. 01-19) Howard County Board of Education – Election of Members  
  • HB1409, CH744 (Ho. Co. 3-19) Howard County –School Facility Surcharge Rates
  • HB1166, CH725 (Ho. Co. 04-19) Howard County – Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags 
  • HB869, CH701 (Ho. Co. 06-19) Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Marketplace License 
  • HB1306, CH151 (Ho. Co. 26-19) Howard County – Howard County Housing Commission Subsidiary Entities 
  • HB1406, CH152 (Ho. Co. 29-19) Howard County – Department of Correction – Authority to Establish Programs 
  • HB1405, CH311 (Ho. Co. 30-19) Howard County – Transfer Tax – Collection by Director of Finance 

In addition, bond initiative requests for local projects were funded as follows (HB101, CH14): 

  • Barnard Fort House, Ho. Co. 9-19, $50,000
  • Carroll Baldwin Hall, Ho. Co. 21-19, $100,000
  • Carrollton Hall Restoration, Ho. Co. 19-19, $50,000
  • Community Action Council Early Childhood Education Center, Ho. Co. 28-19, $50,000
  • Gateway Innovation Center, Ho. Co. 20-19, $200,000
  • Harriet Tubman Community Center and Museum, Ho. Co. 17-19, $300,000
  • iHomes, Inc. , Ho. Co. 24-19, $100,000
  • Linwood School, Ho. Co. 27-19, $100,000

The Capital Budget Bill (HB101) contains each of the approved bonds and other capital grants and a list of Delegation bond requests and awards is also available on the 2019 Bond Initiatives Funding page. 

Proposed Local Bills for the 2019 Regular Session of the Maryland General Assembly

Short descriptions of the bond initiative requests and the local bills proposed for the 2019 legislative session appear below. (Click the title of the bill to view the full text of the original draft bill. Click the HBXXXX  number to see bills passed by the Delegation or CHXXXX for enacted legislation. To see the list and status of 2019 Delegation bills on the Maryland General Assembly website click here.)

Bond Initiative Requests

Butterfly Building for Visual Arts Gallery and Guest Services - Design and Build, Ho.Co. 05-19, $250,000 (Revised) – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/6/19) 

By: Delegate Hill

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of the Inner Arbor Trust, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping  of the Butterfly Building in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of real property (Howard County). 

Historic Barnard Fort House Restoration, Ho. Co. 09-19, $150,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $50,000

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

Provide a grant to the County Executive and County Council of Howard County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Barnard Fort House, located in Howard County. 

Historic Thomas Isaac Log Cabin Relocation and Rehabilitation, Ho. Co. 10-19, $100,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19)  

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

Provide a grant to the County Executive and County Council of Howard County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, located in Howard County. 

Harriet Tubman Community Center and Museum - Development and Improvement, Ho. Co. 17–19, $500,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $300,000

By: Delegate Atterbeary

Provide a grant to the County Executive and County Council of Howard County for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Harriet Tubman Community Center and Museum, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of real property (Howard County). 

Carrollton Hall Restoration, Ho. Co. 19-19, $200,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/23/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $50,000

By: Senator Hester and Delegate Watson [Added to the legislative agenda 1/16/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of Carrollton Hall, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of Carrollton Hall and the surrounding grounds, located in Howard County. 

Gateway Innovation Center, Ho. Co. 20-19, $500,00 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/23/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $200,000  

By: Senator Guzzone [Added to the legislative agenda 1/16/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of the Howard County Economic Development Center for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Gateway Innovation Center facility, including the installation of audio visual equipment, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of real property, in kind contributions, or funds expended prior to the effective date of this Act (Howard County). 

Carroll Baldwin Hall Renovations, Ho. Co. 21-19, $315,000 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $100,000

By: Delegate Terrasa [Added to the legislative agenda 1/16/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of the Carroll Baldwin Memorial Institute, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of Carroll Baldwin Hall, located in Howard County, subject to the requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund of $125,000. 

2nd Ellicott Quaker Schoolhouse - Rehabilitation/Children’s Museum, Ho. Co. 23-19, $100,000 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19)

By Delegate Watson [Added to the legislative agenda 1/16/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of the Howard County Historical Society, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of a children’s museum at the Second Quaker Schoolhouse, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of in kind contributions (Howard County).

Humanin – iHomes Affordable Housing Construction, Ho. Co. 24-19, $100,000 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/16/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $100,000

By Delegate Terrasa [Added to the legislative agenda 1/16/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of Directors of iHomes, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of a three homes for low-income and disabled adults, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of funds expended prior to the effective date of this Act (Howard County).

Linwood School Overflow Parking, Ho. Co. 27-19, $100,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/23/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $100,000

By: Senator Guzzone and Delegate Watson [Added to the legislative agenda 1/23/19.]

Provide a grant to the Board of the Linwood Center, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Linwood School, including site improvements to the school’s parking lots, located in Howard County. Notwithstanding Section 1(5) of this Act, the matching fund may consist of real property or funds expended prior to the effective date of this Act (Howard County).

Early Childhood Education Center, Ho. Co. 28-19, $50,000 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/30/19) MGA AUTHORIZED $50,000

By: Delegate Terrasa [Added to the legislative agenda 1/23/19.] 

Provide a grant to the Community Action Council of Howard County MD, Inc. for the feasibility, planning, acquisition, design, construction, reconstruction for a new Early Childhood Education Center serving low-income families in in Howard County with Head Start and Pre-K programming, located in Howard County. 

Proposed Local Bills

Howard County Board of Education - Elected School Board, Ho. Co. 1–19 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/23/19) HB0590 PASSED BY THE MGA, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR  4/18/2019

By: Delegate Atterbeary

FOR the purpose of requiring that certain members of the Howard County Board of Education be elected by the voters of certain districts and certain members be elected at large by the voters of the county; providing for the application of this Act; and generally relating to the election of the members of the Howard County Board of Education.

Howard County – Orphans’ Court Judges – Qualifications, Ho. Co. 2–19 - WITHDRAWN (2/6/19)

By: Delegate Atterbeary

FOR the purpose of proposing an amendment to the Maryland Constitution to prescribe different qualifications for judges of the Orphans’ Court for Howard County; requiring judges of the Orphans’ Court for Howard County to have been admitted to practice law in the State and be members in good standing of the Maryland Bar; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the State for their adoption or rejection.

Howard County - School Facilities Surcharge-Rates, Ho. Co. 3–19 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION AS AMENDED (2/27/19) HB1409 PASSED BY THE MGA, ENACTED 5/25/19

By: Delegate Atterbeary

FOR the purpose of altering the amount of the school facilities surcharge in Howard County; 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 a certain calculation requiring the school facilities surcharge to be used only for the benefit of schools within whose attendance area certain residential construction is located; requiring the County Executive of Howard County to submit a certain report to certain persons at a certain time; defining a certain term; and generally relating to the school facilities surcharge in Howard County.

Howard County - Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags, Ho. Co. 4–19 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/6/19) HB1166 PASSED BY THE MGA, ENACTED 5/25/19

By: Delegate Hill

FOR the purpose of 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 a certain fee; defining certain terms; and generally relating to the authority for Howard County to impose a fee for the use of disposable bags.

Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Marketplace License, Ho.Co. 06-19 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/6/19) HB0869 PASSED BY THE MGA, ENACTED 5/25/19

By: Delegate Hill

FOR the purpose of establishing a marketplace license in Howard County; authorizing the Board of License Commissioners to issue the license to certain individuals; specifying the scope, hours of sale, and fees for the license; authorizing the license holder to sell beer, wine, and liquor within the marketplace under certain conditions; authorizing a license holder to obtain a refillable container permit and a nonrefillable container permit under certain conditions; specifying certain standards to be met by the marketplace; defining a certain term; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in Howard County.

Howard County – Flood Control Standards – Tiber – Hudson Branch, New Cut Branch, and Plum Tree Branch, Ho.Co. 11-19 – WITHDRAWN (1/30/19)  

By: Delegate Watson

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations that establish certain flood control standards to be adopted by the Howard County Council for a development or redevelopment project located in certain watersheds in Howard County; requiring the Department to adopt regulations that specify that certain stormwater management plans for a development or redevelopment project located in certain watersheds in Howard County be designed to implement certain flood control standards; and generally relating to flood control standards. 

Howard County - Ethics - Limit on Developer Contributions, Ho. Co. 12-19 

By: Delegate Miller (ADDED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 11/19/18)

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.

Property Tax Credit – Elderly Individuals – Eligibility, Ho. Co. 16–19 – WITHDRAWN (1/23/19) 

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation (ADDED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 11/16/18 AT THE REQUEST OF SENATOR-ELECT HESTER)

FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “eligible individual” by requiring that an elderly individual must live in the same county, rather than the same dwelling, for a certain number of years to be eligible for a certain statewide optional property tax credit  against the county or municipal corporation property tax; providing for the application of this Act; and generally relating to the eligibility of certain elderly individuals for a certain property tax credit.

Howard County – Howard County School Board Determining School Calendar, Ho. Co. 25-19  - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (1/30/19) HB0591

By: Delegate Watson (ADDED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 1/30/19

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 - PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/13/19)  HB1306 PASSED BY THE MGA, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR 4/18/2019

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 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/27/19) HB1406 PASSED BY THE MGA, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR 4/18/2019

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Howard County Department of Correction to establish community service and pretrial services programs; authorizing a certain program to include a certain inmate’s participation in a certain program; authorizing the Director of the Howard County Department of Correction to adopt regulations relating to the operation of certain programs; authorizing a certain judge or court to allow a certain individual to participate in a certain program under certain circumstances; authorizing a certain inmate to leave the Howard County Detention Center under certain circumstances; authorizing a certain inmate to continue regular employment or obtain new employment; requiring that a certain inmate be confined to the Howard County Detention Center under certain circumstances; requiring a certain inmate to make certain payments; providing that a certain inmate is not an agent or employee of a certain entity; providing that a certain inmate is subject to removal from a certain program and cancellation of certain diminution credits; altering an incorrect reference; and generally relating to the Howard County Department of Correction. 

Howard County – Collection and Allocation of County Transfer Tax, Ho.Co. 30-19 – PASSED BY THE DELEGATION (2/27/19) HB1405 PASSED BY THE MGA, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR 4/30/2019

By: Chair, Howard County Delegation

FOR the purpose of requiring the Director of Finance of Howard County, instead of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Howard County, to collect the county tax on the recordation of an instrument of writing that conveys title to real property; repealing a requirement that the Clerk of the Circuit Court pay to the Director of Finance the proceeds of the transfer tax in a certain manner; making clarifying and conforming changes; and generally relating to the collection of the transfer tax in Howard County. 

For further information, contact the Howard County Delegation Office at 410-841-3360 or [email protected].

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