Montgomery County will continue to maintain the current level of pandemic restrictions and follow the reopening plan recently approved in the latest Board of Health regulation despite the governor’s state changes announced yesterday.
Montgomery County will maintain its current pandemic restrictions despite Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announcing yesterday, April 28, that he would lift the state’s outdoor mask mandate and restrictions on outdoor dining as of Saturday, May 1.
The parameters for the next stages of reopening the county have been set now that the County Council has passed an amended health regulation tying loosening restrictions to the percentage of vaccinated residents.
The County Council is planning an introduction, public hearing and vote next week on a revised Board of Health regulation that would add automatic triggers for reopening the county based on the percentage of residents receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The proposal would amend the current regulation to add three phases of reopening based on the percentages reported by the county’s health officer to the Board of Health.
County landlords would be required to revise rental applications to improve transparency and be limited on what types of arrest and convictions could be considered in housing decisions under the terms of a bill passed April 20 by the County Council.
The County Council yesterday unanimously passed two bills intended to increase safety conditions for the county’s young population. One is Bill 4-21, Weapons – Protection of Minors and Public Places – Restrictions Against Ghost Guns and Undetectable Guns, known as the “Ghost Guns Bill.”
The County Council yesterday approved a $1 million special appropriation to supplement the Small Business Rental Assistance Program for qualifying businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ride On and Flash bus service will remain free until at least the end of the fiscal year on June 30, County Executive Marc Elrich announced yesterday evening. The change reverses a Department of Transportation decision released earlier this week to start charging $2 fares again on Monday, April 5. Fare collections had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The County Council is planning to hold four public hearings on the FY2022 operating budget beginning next week, according to an announcement. The first hearing will be held at 1:30 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6. Two more will follow on Wednesday and Thursday, April 7 and 8, at 7 p.m.