A tax incentive for green buildings, pay increases for school board members and a referendum on policing in Carroll won General Assembly passage.
The county?s delegation celebrated passage of those bills ? and every other one it introduced during the session.
“We worked hard and got all our work done and everything was successful,” said Del. Tanya Shewell, R-District 5A. “We got everything done, so I think we had a bumper crop year.”
But the delegation grew nervous Monday, the last day of the session, when Del. Susan Krebs, R-District 9B, placed a special order on the police referendum bill to delay its passage. But, she said, she allowed it to continue through the legislature once Sen. Larry Haines, R-District 5, stopped blocking another local bill, which would allow liquor stores in the county to stay open on Sundays.
The successful bills include:
» SB659 mandates a referendum for voters to decide the county?s primary police agency if commissioners enact an ordinance creating a police department with an appointed chief.
» SB780 allows commissioners to borrow $120 million for building projects in the county.
» SB822 creates a civil penalty for people distributing tobacco products to minors, with a $300 fine for the first violation and a $500 fine for any more within the next two years.
» SB823 creates a tax incentive for developers to make environmentally friendly buildings.
» HB787 exempts school marching bands from a county noise ordinance.
» HB899 allows an alcohol license to be granted to an arts center in Westminster.
» HB902 allows liquor stores to stay open on Sundays.
» HB963 increases pay for Board of Education members. The president will receive $7,500 instead of $6,000; other members will receive $6,500 instead of $5,000.
Another bill sponsored by the delegation that expands the board of commissioners from three to five members failed, but Sens. David Brinkley and Allan Kittleman sponsored a version that passed.
It creates five districts by splitting Manchester and Hampstead, a plan that failed two years ago.
The bills take effect July 1.
