But takes no action on the County Executive’s Legislative Package for 2026.
Frederick, Md (KM) During Tuesday’s meeting, the Frederick County Council voted in favor of its proposed 2026 Legislative Package. It includes three bills: One would remove the income requirement for disabled military veterans taking part in the state’s property tax credit. Right now, disabled veterans would need an adjusted gross income of under $100,000 to be eligible. In addition to removing this requirement, this legislation would allow local governments to determine the income limit.
A second bill would let the county impose a business personal property tax on data centers. A third piece of legislation would allow citizens to use their credit cards for gaming activities for volunteer fire companies.
But the Council took no action on the County Executive’s Legislative Package which includes bills and position statements. It said the County Executive could formally introduce her package to the Legislative Delegation during their meeting on Saturday, December 6th.
One item that generated some strong testimony from residents is a position statement calling for a statewide ban on local government participation in federal “immigration enforcement agreements” such as the 287g. That program allows the Sheriff’s Office the ability to check on the immigration status of persons they bring into the Detention Center. If they’re here illegally, they would be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jean Kavanaugh spoke out against it. “I feel strongly that neither Maryland, local law enforcement nor state government should be complicit in this administration cruel, dehumanizing and constitutional-right breaking effort to disappear mostly people of color,” she said.
Shawn Porter spoke in favor of 287g. “We should support ICE in deporting illegal aliens that break into our country, and then steal welfare benefits,” he said. “42 million Americans are on welfare, SNAP assistance, whatever. I heard a statistic that half of that illegal immigrants who are not here illegally, taking advantage of our system, and mooching off of people who work for a living.”
Her staff said County Executive Fitzwater included this position statement because so many people spoke out against 287g during a recent town hall.
A bill in the County Executive’s package would set up a task force to study education funding. “Currently, state aid to schools is determined by a foundation formula that use numbers from September 30th of the prior school year,” says Sarah Price, the County’s State Government Relations Associate. “As Frederick County is one of the fastest growing school systems in the state, this puts us at a disadvantage for funding new students in that funding does not reach us until the following school year.”
Another bill would prohibit school resource officers from having any sexual contact with students. “Current state law prohibits school resource officers from having sexual contact with students under the age of 18. However, this has created an unintended loophole that allows for school resource officers to have sexual contact with students that are over the age of 18,” says Price. “So this legislation would close that loophole and ensure that students are able to thrive in a healthy and safe environment in Maryland schools.:”
Other bills in the County Executive’s package would call for increased workforce and senior housing, and allow the county to set special tax rates, something municipalities already do.
Other position statements call for statewide implementation of the Family Connects program,, where a nurse would visit a new mother and her child at no charge to help promote the health of the new mother and her child; and call for support for the Maryland Association of Counties legislative initiatives.
By Kevin McManus