On February 11, 2020, a public hearing will be held in Annapolis to discuss HB 388 and HB 403, two “sanctuary bills,” which respectively restrict the ability of local law enforcement to cooperate with Federal immigration authorities, and which prohibit immigration enforcement at schools, hospitals and courthouses. Such legislation hampers the ability of law enforcement to remove criminals from our communities, and, while some studies suggest that sanctuary laws have no effect on crime, Montgomery County, MD, was moved to throttle back portions of its Sanctuary Law after a series of sexual assault cases. It’s clear that, as is often the case, these well-intended stunts, pushed by Democrats to show resistance to a Republican President, have unforeseen consequences. The Howard County GOP encourages those citizens who are knowledgeable on these issues and have compelling arguments against these pieces of legislation to testify. If you wish to testify, you must pre-register, so act quickly. A grassroots coalition of activists is providing volunteers to assist you onsite with registration and document upload.

The Howard County Delegation of Maryland’s General Assembly met on January 15th, 2020 to consider legislation to be submitted to the state legislature. Four bills, submitted by Delegates Ebersole and Hill, as well as Senator Lam,, are of particular interest to Howard Countians concerned about redistricting.

Howard County Republicans are very concerned about the implications of this targeted legislation, and how elected Democrats seem to be inviting State meddling at a County level to suit their own agendas.

The bills are:

Ho. Co. 01-20 Requiring regular redistricting for under-utilized schools

Ho. Co. 02-20 Barring Realtors from mentioning school districts in advertising homes for sale

Ho. Co. 04-20 Requiring residential sale contracts contain disclaimers about school districts

Ho. Co. 06-20 Requiring the Board of Education to report to the General Assembly on student demographics, and empowering the General Assembly to intervene.

Dr. Chao Wu of the Board of Education has also shared this HCPSS analysis of proposed legislation.

Superintendent Martirano’s much-discussed redistricting plan has been touted by supporters as addressing wealth-based inequalities between Howard County Schools while at the same time relieving overcrowding. But Polygon 147, which houses the desirable (and overcrowded) Centennial High School, is not slated by this plan to be redistricted. Prior to the election of County Executive Calvin Ball, whose allies overwhelmingly and publicly support Martirano’s plan, Polygon 147 was intended to be moved to Wilde Lake High School’s district. That changed when, with Ball’s election, an existing redistricting plan was scrapped in favor of the current, allegedly more progressive, plan. Clarksville resident Steven Keller and a team of concerned citizens have assembled a document which shows a surprising money trail in connection to Polygon 147. A money trail that may lead outside Howard County.