2023 Local Bills and Bonds Requests - Legislative Summary

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

HB158: Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages Licenses – Residency Requirements, Ho.Co. 11-23

HB218: Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Repeal of Petition of Support Requirement, Ho.Co. 12-23

HB146: Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Public Hearing, Ho.Co. 13-23

HB1005: Howard County – Archery Hunting – Safety Zone, Ho.Co. 15-23

In addition, bond initiative requests for local projects were funded as follows:

Centennial Park West Area Existing Restroom Facility Renovation: $150,000

Community Ecology Institute at Freetown Farm: $250,000

Community Ecology Institute at the Green Farmacy Garden: $150,000

Family Restrooms and Adult Changing Stations: $300,000

Family Support Center: $200,000

Howard County Fairgrounds: $300,000

Howard County Veterans Monument at Vivian C Millie Bailey Park: $500,000

Howard County Welcome Center Interior Renovation: $150,000

Lisbon Volunteer Fire Dept Community Room: $300,000

Long Reach Village Center Shared Kitchen: $200,000

Mental Health Unit at the Detention Center: $200,000

Patuxent Commons: $500,000

PHILLIPS School – Laurel: $125,000

St. Paul Street Placemaking: $150,000

VFW Post 7472 Infrastructure repairs: $100,000

2023 Proposed Local Legislation

Howard County – Due Process Proceedings for Children With Disabilities – Burden of Proof, Ho.Co. 2-23 (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/25/23)
By: Senator Hester

FOR the purpose of requiring the Howard County Board of Education to bear the burden of proof in due process proceedings that initiate from a due process complaint regarding the provision of special education services or a program for a child with disabilities in Howard County except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the burden of proof in due process proceedings and the Howard County Board of Education.


Candidates for Village Board or Columbia Council in a Village of Columbia – Reports of Donations and Disbursements, Ho.Co. 7-23
By: Delegate Terrasa

FOR the purpose of requiring each village community association for a village of Columbia to require each candidate for election to the village board or the Columbia Council who receives donations or makes disbursements to file reports of the donations and disbursements with the village community association; requiring each village community association to make the reports of donations and disbursements available to the public; prohibiting a candidate for election to a village board or the Columbia Council who is elected from taking office if the candidate has failed to file a report of donations and disbursements; and generally relating to reports of donations and disbursements by candidates for village board or Columbia Council in a village of Columbia.

Howard County Board of Education – Membership – Alterations, Ho.Co. 10-23
By: Howard County Delegation, Chair

FOR the purpose of altering the membership of the Howard County Board of Education to consist of both elected and appointed members beginning in a certain year; and generally relating to the Howard County Board of Education.

Proposed amendments: 

Amendment 1:  Retain existing Board of Education structure (5 members elected by Councilmanic district and 2 at-large members); all current members serve their full term – IN DRAFTING

Amendment 2:  Addition of 2 appointed members of the Board of Education; establishment of a Nominating Commission to compile a list of potential appointees; County Executive to appoint a member with confirmation by the County Council – IN DRAFTING

Amendment 3:  Establishment of a compensation commission to review Board of Education member salary – IN DRAFTING

Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages Licenses – Residency Requirements, Ho.Co. 11-23 (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)
By: Howard County Delegation, Chair

FOR the purpose of providing that a resident of the State meets certain residency requirements for an applicant for an alcoholic beverages license in Howard County; and generally relating to residency requirements for alcoholic beverages licenses in Howard County.

Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Repeal of Petition of Support Requirement, Ho.Co. 12-23 (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/18/23)
By: Howard County Delegation, Chair

FOR the purpose of repealing the requirement that an application for an alcoholic beverages license in Howard County include certain petitions of support signed by certain individuals; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages licenses in Howard County.

Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Public Hearing, Ho.Co. 13-23 (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)
By: Howard County Delegation, Chair

FOR the purpose of exempting applications for changing certain resident agents from the requirement that the Board of License Commissioners for Howard County hold a public hearing on the applications; authorizing the Board to hold a public hearing on certain applications under certain circumstances; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in Howard County.

Howard County – Public Campaign Financing – Board of Education, Ho. Co. 14-23  (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION AS AMENDED 2/8/23)
By: Howard County Delegation, Chair

FOR the purpose of authorizing the governing body of Howard County to establish, by law, a system of public campaign financing for elected members of the county board of education.

Howard County – Archery Hunting – Safety Zone, Ho.Co. 15-23  (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION AS AMENDED 2/8/23)
By: Senator Hester

FOR the purpose of altering the size of the safety zone for archery hunters in Howard County within which archery hunting may not take place except under certain circumstances; and generally relating to archery hunting in Howard County.

Howard County – Board of Education Elections – Ranked–Choice Voting, Ho. Co. 16-23
By: Delegates Wu and Terrasa

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Howard County Council to adopt, by law, a ranked–choice voting method for elections for the county board of education; and generally relating to the use of ranked–choice voting for elections for the Howard County Board of Education.

Howard County - Voting Rights in Columbia Village Elections, Ho. Co. 17-23 (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 2/8/23)
By: Delegate Feldmark

FOR the purpose of requiring that in certain elections conducted by a village community association for a village of Columbia each owner of a lot is entitled to one vote; requiring that, if a village community association for a village of Columbia allows lessees to vote in certain elections conducted by the village community association, each holder of a leasehold is entitled to one vote; and generally relating to voting rights in elections in the villages of Columbia. 

Legislative Bond Initiatives

Animal Control Expansion ($400,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Centennial Park - West Area Existing Facility Renovation ($300,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Clover Hill House Restoration ($500,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Family Restrooms ($300,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Family Support Center ($200,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Flash Service Bus Stop ($400,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Freetown Farm - Community Ecology Institute ($250,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Green Farmacy Garden  ($150,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Howard County Fairgrounds ($600,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Howard County Veterans Monument ($500,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)  

Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company Community Room ($300,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Long Reach Village Center Shared Kitchen ($400,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Mental Health Unit at Detention Center ($350,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Patuxent Commons ($500,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Phillips School ($125,000)  (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Rockburn Branch Park Landing Area Renovation ($200,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Rockburn Branch Park New Restroom Facility ($350,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Safe Haven Equine Warriors ($300,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

St. Paul Street Placemaking ($500,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

VFW Post 7472 Infrastructure Repairs ($400,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Welcome Center Renovation ($750,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 1/12/23)

Training Facility at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center – Clarksville Facility (CMREC) ($200,000) (PASSED BY THE DELEGATION 2/8/23)

 

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