For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Also on Feb. 4: Council will hold a virtual public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Bill 46-20 that would prohibit school resource officers in Montgomery County Public Schools
The Education and Culture Committee will meet virtually at 9:30 a.m. and the Public Safety and Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committees will meet jointly at 1:30 p.m.
The Council will meet virtually on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. to introduce Executive Order No. 19-21, COVID-19 Local Order- Amending and Restating Order dated Dec. 15, 2020 and vote on holding a proposed closed session. The Council also will meet at 7:30 p.m. to hold a public hearing on Bill 46-20, Police - School Resource Officers - Prohibited, which was introduced by lead sponsors Councilmember Jawando and Councilmember Riemer. The Education and Culture Committee will meet virtually at 9:30 a.m., and the Public Safety and Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committees will meet jointly at 1:30 p.m.
Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council agendas can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be 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 and Fios 30.
Executive Order 19-21, COVID-19 Local Order - Amending and Restating Order dated December 15, 2020
The Montgomery County Council will introduce Executive Order 19-21 which would reinstate limited indoor restaurant dining starting on Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. A public hearing on Executive Order 19-21 is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 10:05 a.m. The Council vote is scheduled to follow the Feb. 9 public hearing. If adopted, Executive Order No. 19-21 would reopen indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, suspend alcohol sales at 10 p.m. for on-site consumption and limit customers to a one-hour indoor dining period. Additional changes include: updated references and links to the Maryland State of Emergency and Catastrophic Health Emergency renewals and the current State Executive Order; updated links to the American Academy of Pediatrics face covering exceptions; and removal of the deadline references for letter of approval requests for retail to exceed 150 persons.
The Council staff report and Executive Order No. 19-21, COVID-19 Local Order can be found here.
Proposed Closed Session
At 3:10 p.m. the Council will vote on holding a closed session to discuss collective bargaining negotiations or consider matters that relate to the negotiations, pursuant to Maryland Code, General Provisions Article, Section 3-305(b)(9), and to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice, pursuant to Maryland Code, General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b)(7). The topic is ongoing negotiations.
Public Hearing
Bill 46-20, Police - School Resource Officers – Prohibited
At 7:30 p.m. the Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 46-20, which would prohibit the Montgomery County Police Department from deploying School Resource Officers (SROs) to Montgomery County Public Schools. Councilmembers Jawando and Riemer are the lead sponsors. Council President Hucker is a cosponsor. A school resource officer is a sworn uniformed law officer trained in emergency preparedness, crisis management, community policing concepts and problem solving who is assigned to work as a liaison to Montgomery County Public Schools. The Montgomery County Police Department currently has 23 police officers assigned to work as SROs in specific public schools pursuant to an existing memorandum of understanding with Montgomery County Public Schools. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Education and Culture (E&C) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
E&C Committee: Councilmembers Craig Rice (Chair), Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro
Topics:
Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget Savings Plan
On January 15, 2021, the County Executive transmitted to the Council a second Savings Plan totaling $25 million with $16.4 million in operating budget savings and $8.6 million in savings from the capital budget. In addition, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will participate in the Savings Plan by reappropriating a $25 million fund balance in FY22. The Council approved an earlier Savings Plan totaling $56.9 million in savings in July 2020.
The County Executive also has proposed reducing the budget for Montgomery County Public Libraries by $993,403. These savings are generated from reductions affecting administrative expenses that would have no direct service impacts and reductions to the materials budget which includes library e-collections and streaming services.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Special appropriation - MCPS - $750,000 for Restorative Justice Training for School Staff
The Committee will review a $750,000 special appropriation for restorative justice training for school staff. Councilmembers Jawando and Riemer proposed a package of appropriations to invest in mental health professionals and restorative justice initiatives and a companion bill to prohibit the Montgomery County Police Department from placing school resource officers in school buildings. This special appropriation would provide restorative justice training for MCPS educators and staff.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Joint Public Safety (PS) Committee and Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
PS Committee: Councilmember Sidney Katz (Chair), Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz and Council President Tom Hucker
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
Topic:
Bill 49-20, Human Rights and Civil Liberties - Discrimination in Rental Housing - Fair Criminal History and Credit Screenings (“Housing Justice Act”)
The PS and PHED Committees will meet jointly to review Bill 49-20, the Housing Justice Act, which would do the following: prohibit a landlord from raising a stated rent in certain circumstances; require a rental application to contain certain information about record checks conducted by a housing provider; prohibit certain inquiries regarding criminal histories in rental housing applications; and prohibit consideration of certain arrests and convictions in rental housing decisions. Councilmembers Glass and Katz are the lead sponsors. Councilmembers Jawando, Rice, Navarro and Riemer are cosponsors. The goal of this legislation is to establish “ban the box” requirements related to criminal histories of rental applicants.
#Housing Justice is being used for this bill on social media.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
###
Release ID: 21-038