By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The Section will be holding the annual Law Institute in late May. The Section Council has decided this event will be virtual, and topics are expected to include a summary of the General Assembly police reform efforts from last year, as well as Public Information Act changes, asContinue reading “Virtual Law Institute to Address Police Reform, PIA”
Author Archives: frankmjohnson
Md. High Court: Local Governments Limited to Authority Granted By State
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The Maryland Constitution specifies that all local governments – including municipalities, charter counties, code counties, and commissioner counties – are subject to any limitations imposed by the State. Article 11-A, Section 3, specifies that state law prevails in any conflict with local law, and Section 6 furtherContinue reading “Md. High Court: Local Governments Limited to Authority Granted By State”
Religious Exemptions from Vaccine Mandates Topic of “Lunch and Learn”
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg Put a hold on your calendar: The Section will sponsor a program on February 25 at 12 p.m. concerning religious exemptions from mandatory vaccine requirements. This is a topic that, with the pandemic, many of us are now having to address, so we are pleased to present MichaelContinue reading “Religious Exemptions from Vaccine Mandates Topic of “Lunch and Learn””
State and Local Government Law Institute planned for May 2022
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The annual Law Institute will be this spring, in late May. Whether it is in-person or, as last year, virtual, the State and Local Government Section is planning to focus on the major recent changes to police regulation, training, use-of-force, and investigations. There will also be a reviewContinue reading “State and Local Government Law Institute planned for May 2022”
State and Local Government Section Council Members Set for 2021 – 2022
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg Council members serve the Section primarily through their work on committees, including the Programs, Communications, Legislative, and Membership/Nominations Committees. Their work includes creating the annual State and Local Government Law Institute and other networking programs during the year, helping to establish this blog, and continuing to provideContinue reading “State and Local Government Section Council Members Set for 2021 – 2022”
Enforcement powers change for the Public Information Act Compliance Board
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The General Assembly made some significant changes to the Public Information Act (Md. Code Ann., General Provisions, Sec. 4-101 et seq.) this year. First, as part of the changes related to police reform, Senate Bill 178 removed the confidentiality of certain police personnel records, now allowing disclosureContinue reading “Enforcement powers change for the Public Information Act Compliance Board”
Law Institute moves to May 2022
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The State and Local Government Section Council, in its first remote meeting in July, decided to move the annual Law Institute from fall (usually late October) to the spring. While the Institute had originally been moved to the fall to allow better budget planning for the monthsContinue reading “Law Institute moves to May 2022”
Takings Clause reach expands to limit land use and zoning regulation
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The ability to control land use and zoning is a critical authority of state and local government, in Maryland and otherwise. The MSBA State and Local Government Law section, prior to its May 26 annual business meeting, hosted a presentation about the impact of the Fifth Amendment’sContinue reading “Takings Clause reach expands to limit land use and zoning regulation”
New law protects retired K-9s
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg The General Assembly this year focused on many bills addressing all elements of police reform. But SB 156 involves veterinary care costs for retired K9s. The bill, which the Governor signed, mandates that, as of July 1, 2021, state and local police forces cover the “reasonable andContinue reading “New law protects retired K-9s”
Section Council names new officers, members
By Frank JohnsonDeputy City Attorney, City of Gaithersburg We will this year have new leadership for the State and Local Government Section Council, including new officers and Section Council members. It’s been my pleasure to serve as Chair for the last few years, and I’m very happy to welcome Amanda Stakem Conn, WSSC Counsel, asContinue reading “Section Council names new officers, members”
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