Maryland General Assembly’s 90-Day Session Begins Jan. 12
Rockville’s 2022 state legislative priorities include authorization of electronic legal notices, education funding, protecting homes and businesses from the state’s project to widen Interstate 270, and combating climate change.
The 2022 state legislative session runs from Wednesday, Jan. 12-Monday, April 11 in Annapolis. Under priorities approved by the Mayor and Council on Nov. 1, the city will advocate for:
- Jurisdictions to be allowed to post electronic legal notices. With no local print newspapers in Montgomery County, Rockville is forced to post costly print notices in “The Washington Post.”
- Increased state aid for school operations and construction to support education from birth through community college.
- No Rockville homes, businesses or infrastructure to be taken by the state’s I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Project.
- Noise barrier projects for all communities impacted by the Interstate 270 project.
- Climate change policy initiatives including, but not limited to, climate resiliency, flood plain planning and resilience, community choice aggregation for energy purchasing, electric vehicle incentives, and renewable energy.
- Increased funding for senior transportation services, recreation and wellness programs, senior programs in neighborhoods, aging-in-place and village initiatives, and outreach to increase awareness of these services and programs.
- An increase in the fine for illegally modified vehicle exhaust systems that generate excessive noise and disrupt the quality of life in neighborhoods.
- $250,000 for renovations to the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre and Social Hall to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Rockville is also supporting two Maryland Municipal League-backed priorities:
- Full and permanent restoration of municipal Highway User Revenue funding, beginning in Fiscal Year 2025. This share of state fuel and vehicle taxes is distributed to local governments for road and bridge maintenance. Fiscal Year 2022 is the third year of a five-year state budget restoration of aid to a level that is approximately 85% of what it was before the 2008 recession. The state estimates Rockville will receive $2.6 million in aid in FY 2022, about 78% of the pre-recession level of $3.3 million.
- A revision to state law so that municipalities have the option of creating their own police accountability board and administrative charging committee.
The Mayor and Council on Dec. 20 discussed these priorities with the District 17 delegation, which represents Rockville in the General Assembly. Find video of that discussion, as well as the Nov. 1 discussion, and staff reports at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter, or contact Linda Moran at [email protected] or 240-314- 8115.