ROCKVILLE, MD — The Montgomery County Council approved a total of seven bills Tuesday, including measures aimed at putting limitations on rental price practices and expanding speed cameras in the region.
Unanimously passed legislation included bills that provided enhanced financial protections for vulnerable residents, increased survivor benefits for families of first responders, required organizations to adopt racial equity standards, and revised core functions of the Fire and Emergency Services Commission.
Below is a closer look at three of the measures approved during this week's session.
Of the seven bills, the first up for a vote focused on banning algorithmic rental price fixing and prohibiting price coordination in the county.
Introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, Bill 8-26 mirrored similar legislation passed by the City of Rockville over the summer.
Jawando has said the legislation is geared toward improving housing affordability in a county that often sees renters priced out of homeownership.
Related: MD City Marks Milestone By Banning Algorithmic Rental Pricing
"Rental costs must be market driven, not determined by hidden algorithms which are being used more and more to drive up rental costs and create the appearance of low housing availability," cosponsor Councilmember Shebra Evans said in a statement.
An affordability study previously indicated Montgomery County was tied with Nassau County, New York, for the 9th-highest median rental pricing across the nation.
One of two roadway-related measures that cleared the legislative body was Bill 27-26, which cracks down on street takeovers.
The measure prohibits coordinating, promoting or knowingly facilitating any illegal street takeover events that include racing or exhibition driving.
Under the bill, Montgomery County Police are cleared to seize any vehicles tied to illegal car rallies. Violators can now face fines of up to $5,000, an increase from just $1,000.
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"Residents deserve to feel safe on our roads and in their neighborhoods," Councilmember Andrew Friedson, the lead sponsor of the bill, said in a statement.
"I am proud the Council stepped up to pass this bill and meet this public safety need, providing law enforcement with the clarity and authority needed to intervene earlier, disrupt these coordinated events, and keep people out of harm's way."
Councilmember Kristin Mink had attempted to include a provision in Bill 27-26 that would protect First Amendment-related activities. However, the bill passed without the amendment being included.
Introduced at the request of County Executive Marc Elrich, Bill 17-26 deals with authorizing speed cameras in certain school zones and highway areas throughout the county.
The bill allows authorities to shuffle existing speed cameras to school zones and high-risk highway corridors, so long as it's backed by data.
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New cameras would only be deployed among the public if there is data to support the program's expansion in the county.
Bill 17-26 was cleared with the intention of using it to amend the Montgomery County Code.
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