Howard County State Delegation Public Hearing

The Howard County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly, chaired by Delegate Frank Turner and Senator James Robey, will hold a public hearing for citizen input on local bills being considered by the legislature during the upcoming legislative session. The hearing is scheduled as follows:

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 – 7:30 p.m.
Banneker Room, George Howard Building
3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD

The 2015 legislative session will begin on January 14, 2015

Full text of the proposed Howard County bills can be accessed by clicking on the title of each.

The Howard County Delegation will first hear testimony on the following bills, then continue with testimony on any statewide legislation.

Creation of a State Debt – Howard County – Environmental Education Center Renovation and Expansion
By: Howard County Senators

FOR the purpose of authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $250,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the Howard County Conservancy, Inc. for certain development or improvement purposes; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; establishing a deadline for the encumbrance or expenditure of the loan proceeds; and providing generally for the issuance and sale of bonds evidencing the loan.

Creation of a State Debt – Howard County – Harriet Tubman Center
By: Delegate F. Turner

FOR the purpose of authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $500,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks for certain development or improvement purposes; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; establishing a deadline for the encumbrance or expenditure of the loan proceeds; and providing generally for the issuance and sale of bonds evidencing the loan.

Creation of a State Debt – Howard County – Community Action Council Food Bank Facility
By: Delegate Guzzone

FOR the purpose of authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $500,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the Community Action Council of Howard County, Maryland, Inc. for certain development or improvement purposes; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; establishing a deadline for the encumbrance or expenditure of the loan proceeds; and providing generally for the issuance and sale of bonds evidencing the loan.

Howard County – Alcoholic Beverages – Special Event – Education Permits
By: Delegate W. Miller

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Howard County Board of License Commissioners to issue a special event – education beer and wine tasting alcoholic beverages permit and a special event – education beer, wine, and liquor tasting alcoholic beverages permit; specifying that a special event – education alcoholic beverages permit authorized under this Act may be issued to a holder of a certain alcoholic beverages license; specifying that a holder of a special event – education alcoholic beverages permit authorized under this Act may provide from the holder’s inventory certain alcoholic beverages to a consumer who has preregistered for a certain event, subject to certain limitations; specifying a permit fee; authorizing the Board to adopt certain regulations; defining a certain term; and generally relating to alcoholic beverages in Howard County.

Howard County – Appointed Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board – Compensation
By: Delegate Guzzone

FOR the purpose of providing that the compensation for the Howard County Appointed Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board shall be the amount set by the Howard County Council; and generally relating to the compensation for the Howard County Appointed Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board.

Howard County – Casino Events – Authorized
By: Delegate W. Miller

FOR the purpose of authorizing certain organizations to hold certain casino events in Howard County at certain intervals of time; requiring an organization to obtain a permit from the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses, and Permits before operating a casino event; requiring the Howard County Executive to forward a recommendation to the Howard County Council concerning the fee to be charged for a permit; requiring the County Council to adopt by resolution the amount of the permit fee; specifying the types of organizations eligible to conduct a casino event; requiring a permit holder for a casino event to ensure that certain standards are met; prohibiting a permit holder from offering cumulative prizes in excess of a certain amount; specifying certain prohibited acts and reporting requirements for a permit holder for a casino event; requiring the Department to adopt certain regulations governing casino events; altering in Howard County the application of certain general provisions of law governing gaming in the State; establishing certain exceptions to prohibitions against conducting a casino event or operating or awarding prizes using certain gaming devices; defining a certain term; and generally relating to casino events in Howard County.

Howard County – Insurance – Certificates of Guarantee for County Bond Requirements
By: Delegate Guzzone

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Howard County to honor certificates of guarantee that are issued by certain associations or their wholly owned subsidiaries on behalf of certain contractors for the purpose of satisfying certain county bond requirements; providing that Howard County is not required under certain provisions of law to honor certain certificates of guarantee; altering a certain definition; and generally relating to Howard County and certificates of guarantee.

Sign-up sheets will be available outside of the Banneker Room at 7:00pm on the evening of the hearing. Oral testimony will be limited to three minutes.

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