For Immediate Release: Friday, January 17, 2025
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 9 a.m., and the meeting will begin with two proclamations. The first, presented by Council Vice President Will Jawando, will recognize National Mentoring Month. The second, presented by Councilmember Dawn Luedtke, will recognize Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Bill 1-25, Public Safety - Emergency Medical Services - Insurance Reimbursement -Amendments
Introduction: The Council is expected to introduce Bill 1-25, Public Safety - Emergency Medical Services - Insurance Reimbursement -Amendments, which would amend the Emergency Medical Services Insurance Reimbursement Program to allow fire and rescue service personnel to ask for information related to an individual’s insurance coverage for the limited purposes of providing transportation to an alternative destination or providing treatment in place. The bill defines terms related to this broadened permission and generally amends the law governing insurance reimbursement to accommodate the broader scope.
The lead sponsor of Bill 1-25 is Council President Stewart, at the request of County Executive Elrich. A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11.
Interview: The Council will conduct interviews with the County Executive’s nominees to the Housing Opportunities Commission. The nominees include Jonathan Miller, Roy Priest, Izola Shaw and Paul Weech.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a $332,000 supplemental appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Care for Kids Program and the Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland, Inc. The Care for Kids Program ensures that children living in Montgomery County have access to primary and specialty health care services. The program serves children who do not qualify for the Maryland Children’s Health Program or Medical Assistance and whose families have incomes under 250 percent of the federal poverty level. The increase is needed to support the projected enrollment of more than 12,000 additional children and cover a projected budget shortfall in primary care, specialty dental services, behavioral health and pharmacy services.
The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends approval.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a $189,000 supplemental appropriation, which would enable DHHS to hire positions to enhance Montgomery County’s ability to bill for Medicaid and other federal revenue for certain services. It is expected that the cost for these positions will be fully offset by additional Medicaid and federal funds participation revenue generated by the billing activities. The additional staff will reduce financial and audit risks, improve relationships with nonprofit partners and clients and support the effective administration of grants. This supplemental appropriation request assumes that 11 positions will be filled on average for one month in FY25, which will result in FY25 personnel cost of $106,422 in addition to operating expenses of $82,665.
The joint HHS/GO Committee recommends approval.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 21, which is available on the Council website.
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Bill 27-24, Animal Control - Impoundment and Disposition
Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 27-24 Animal Control - Impoundment and Disposition, which would reduce the impounded animal hold time, clarify the appeal rights for abandoned animals and amend the notice requirements. Under current County law, an impounded animal is considered abandoned and becomes County property if the animal is not redeemed by its owner within five days after the executive director notifies the owner about the impoundment.
Bill 27-24 would reduce the hold time to three days. Additionally, Bill 27-24 would clarify that the abandonment of the animal is not a decision of the director subject to the appeal period. The bill would also update the notice requirements to include posting on the animal owner’s door and on the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center website.
The lead sponsors of Bill 27-24 are Councilmembers Sidney Katz, Luedtke and Kristin Mink. Council President Stewart, Vice President Jawando and Councilmembers Balcombe, Glass, Albornoz, Sayles and Friedson are cosponsors.
Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on Expedited Bill 29-24, Transportation - Parking Permit for Specialized Service Providers – Established, which would establish a parking permit rate for specialized service providers and authorize the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to review eligibility criteria and administer certain parking permits in the Silver Spring area.
The purpose of Bill 29-24 is to create a discounted parking permit for childcare providers and organizations that provide social services to the unhoused population in the Silver Spring Central Business District area.
Council President Kate Stewart is the lead sponsor of Bill 29-24. Councilmembers Luedtke, Katz, Mink, Sayles, Balcombe, Albornoz, Fani-González and Friedson and Council Vice President Jawando are cosponsors.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 25-011