Council President Scott Introduces 3 Reform-Focused Bills

Council President Scott Introduces 3 Reform-Focused Bills

Public Safety, Accountability & Equity Legislation Outlined In President's Legislative Proposal

BALTIMORE, MD (September 10, 2019) — At the Baltimore City Council Meeting on September 9, Council President Brandon M. Scott introduced three pieces of legislation outlined in his Legislative and Policy Proposal aimed at public safety, equity, and transparency in government: 

• Bill 19-0443: Gun Offender Registration - Additional Violations — This bill strengthens the Baltimore City Gun Offender Registry by adding straw purchasers (those who buy guns for people who are prohibited from having them), illegal users of assault weapons, and the sale of guns to minors to the list of violations included in the registry. 

  "Guns are used in the overwhelming majority of violent crimes committed in Baltimore. We must begin to focus on those who are selling them to known criminals and bringing them into our city from outside the state of Maryland," said Council President Scott. "Straw purchasers, those who sell guns to minors, and those who illegally use assault weapons are currently omitted from our gun registry. These common sense measures can help hold gun traffickers accountable for the violence they facilitate."
   

• Bill 19-0442: Equity Assessment and Fiscal Note Requirement — This bill requires all ordinances to have a completed fiscal and equity analysis before the City Council takes a final vote on them. 

  "Before the Council votes on any bill, we should know what the bill does, how much it will cost the taxpayers, and what impacts it will have on Baltimoreans through a lens of equity," said Council President Scott. "This is a important step towards embedding a framework of equity into the way we operate as a city and ensuring fiscal responsibility."
   

• Bill 19-0441: Charter Amendment - Charter Review Commission — This charter amendment creates a Charter Review Commission, which will review the Baltimore City Charter every decade and make recommendations. Many major cities require this kind of periodic review to modernize language and make adjustments to municipal governing structure. 

  "A regular review of the Charter is a best practice that our city deserves to implement," said Council President Scott. "It also creates an opportunity for residents to shape their government." 
   

These bills follow previous actions taken by the Council President in the past month on his Legislative and Policy Proposal.

A piece of legislation co-sponsored by the Council President that would end the practice of gag orders in city settlements for police brutality or unlawful discrimination will be heard in the Public Safety Committee on September 16 at 5pm. 

Another bill that would strengthen protections for Baltimore's youth athletes will be heard in the Judiciary Committee on September 17 at 10am.

On August 22, the Council President introduced a resolution asking the Department of Finance to prepare a brief on the City's fiscal readiness in advance of the Kirwan Commission recommendations. An oversight hearing will be scheduled as a result of this bill.