The Carroll County Senate Delegation will host a public hearing and voting session on legislation affecting the county on Friday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m., at the Carroll County Office Building, 225 N. Center Street, Room 003 (public hearing room), Westminster.
The Board of County Commissioners has offered to broadcast the hearing and voting session as a live stream webcast on the county website
This legislative package voting session has traditionally been held in Annapolis during the legislative session, but was relocated to Westminster to facilitate public involvement.
During each legislative session, legislation that specifically affects the county is either supported or opposed by local legislators — and that generally determines whether those measures succeed or fail in Annapolis.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Delegation will hold an open hearing on recent bill requests that were not available in time for an earlier hearing in December. These include:
• A Carroll County Agriculture Center request for a bond bill extension
• A request from the Carroll County Student Government Association to codify the duties of the student representative to the Board of Education
• A Carroll County State's Attorney request for a Drug Recognition Program.
• A Carroll County State's Attorney request regarding the use of testimony of a convicted perjurer.
• A measure regarding the geographical representation and term limits for members of the Carroll Community College Board of Trustees.
Citizens are invited to hear the presentations and provide testimony on any of the legislative proposals, as well as comment on other issues being discussed at the 2012 General Assembly.
In addition, a voting session will be held following the conclusion of the hearing on 2012 proposed Carroll County legislation, including:
• Carroll County – Gaming, a bill requested by the Carroll County Volunteer Services Association for fundraising activities.
• Carroll County – regarding a "Archery Safety Zone," a bill requested by the Carroll County Sportsmen's Association.
• Three measures pertaining to elections — one to restoring the distance for electioneering at polling places to 100 feet; another to eliminate substitute members and make the County Board of Elections consist of five members; and a third to allow for a second early voting location in Carroll County. (Currently, the county has only one early voting center, in Westminster.)
• A measure for a Property Tax Credit for Housing Units at Independent Living Retirement Communities in the county.
• A "Public School Mentorship" measure that would allow the Carroll County School system to waive the current requirement that employers who are mentoring students pay for their workers' compensation coverage while participating in the mentorship.
• And a legislative bond bill for Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley.
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