For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 8, 2020
The following Committees will meet virtually on Thursday, July 9. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Committee review can be viewed at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Committee 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 (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity)..
Meeting: Public Safety (PS) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
PS Committee: Council President Sidney Katz (Chair), Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker
Topic:
Expedited Bill 27-20, Police - Regulations - Use of Force Policy
The PS Committee will review Expedited Bill 27-20, which would require the police chief to adopt a use of force policy directive and require the use of force policy to include certain minimum standards to protect the public. The minimum standards would, among other things, include: prohibiting a member of the police force from using deadly force, including a neck restraint or carotid restraint unless it’s a last resort to prevent serious bodily injury or death of an officer or another person; the use of such force creates no substantial risk or injury to a third person; and reasonable alternatives to the use of such force has been exhausted. The bill also requires officers to intervene if they witness the excessive use of force by another officer. Councilmembers Will Jawando, Craig Rice, Nancy Navarro and Gabe Albornoz are the lead sponsors. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors. This legislation is necessary to help to prevent the unnecessary use of force in police enforcement actions and ban certain practices that can contribute towards unnecessary deaths and serious bodily injury.
It is expected that several amendments to the bill will be discussed including: prohibiting no-knock warrants; prohibiting shooting at vehicles; requiring written police guidelines for interactions with individuals with disabilities; and prohibiting neck restraints and carotid restraints in all circumstances.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
#UseOfForce and #PoliceReform are being used for this bill on social media.
Meeting: Public Safety (PS) Committee and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee
Time: 11:30 a.m.
PS Committee: Council President Sidney Katz (Chair), Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker
HHS Committee: Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz (Chair), Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness and Vulnerable Communities) and Craig Rice
Topic:
Special appropriation - - $592,202 for Mobile Crisis Response
The PS and HHS Committees will meet jointly to review a special appropriation of $592,202 to the FY21 operating budget of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to expand mobile crisis response services. DHHS operates the Crisis Center and staffs one Mobile Crisis Team, which is based in Rockville. The Mobile Crisis Team is a two-person team that responds to calls made directly to the Crisis Center and when the police request their assistance as a part of a police response. Currently, the Mobile Crisis Team can only respond to one call at any time. While work on scaling up this response model is underway, the need has been identified for additional licensed social workers in DHHS to lead additional Mobile Crisis Teams. This special appropriation would fund six social worker positions, so that the hiring process may begin to expand these response teams. The funding includes bi-lingual pay and it is critical that these positions include those who can serve residents for whom English is not their primary language.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee and Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
T&E Committee: Council Vice President Tom Hucker (Chair) and Councilmembers Evan Glass and Hans Riemer
Topic:
Zoning Text Amendment 20-01, Solar Collection System - AR Zone Standards
The PHED and T&E Committees will meet jointly to review Zoning Texting Amendment (ZTA) 20-01, which would revise the solar collection system use standards to allow larger facilities in the Agricultural Resource (AR) zone. Councilmember Hans Riemer and Council Vice President Tom Hucker are the lead sponsors. The total amount of collection systems on all parcels would be limited to 1,800 acres. Any collection system constructed under the proposed amendment must be designated pollinator-friendly under the Maryland Pollinator-Friendly Designation Program.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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Release ID: 20-291