Prince George's County General Assembly Committee members voted on several positions for the 2025 Maryland legislative session, approving a letter opposing state appropriations for the proposed magnetic levitation (Maglev) transportation project, recommending support for multiple bills including a local critical-area tree-liability measure and a Maryland Reparations Commission bill, and voting to hold legislation on seizure authority for tobacco and electronic smoking devices pending further review.

The committee first approved a letter to the county’s state delegation asking them not to support state appropriations for the Maglev project. Vice Chair Wanika Fisher moved to approve the letter and Chair Calvin Hawkins seconded; the motion carried 3-0.

Why it matters: committee endorsements and formal county letters are commonly forwarded to Prince George’s County’s House and Senate delegations in Annapolis and are intended to represent local government positions on high-profile state matters during the general assembly session.

The committee also moved favorably on a series of local and state bills and resolutions, either recommending support to the county’s delegation or taking positions the committee will communicate to their delegation and the general assembly. Those measures included a Prince George’s County-specific provision concerning liability for tree-cutting in Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bay critical areas (House Bill 1470), the legislation to create a Maryland Reparations Commission (House Bill 1422), a buprenorphine training grant program for emergency responders (House Bill 1131), a data center impact analysis and report (House Bill 270/Senate Bill 116), and the Maryland Values Act limiting certain local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (House Bill 1222). Most of those motions were approved unanimously by members present.

The committee voted to hold House Bill 1241, which would expand enforcement authority and add a wholesaler license for electronic smoking devices and other tobacco products, to allow more time for the Office of the County Executive and public safety officials to review specific enforcement provisions (including the proposed no-warrant seizure authority). Vice Chair Fisher moved to hold; Council Member Oriada seconded; the motion to hold carried 4-0.

The committee also added Senate Bill 979 / House Bill 1103 (hotel-accommodation tax collection for short-term rental intermediaries such as Airbnb and VRBO) to the meeting agenda and subsequently voted to support that bill; members said the bill would centralize collection through the state controller and remit funds back to counties. That motion carried 3-0.

What the votes were (summary): all votes below reflect the votes recorded in the committee meeting minutes and roll calls.

- Motion to approve a letter opposing state appropriations for Maglev: moved by Vice Chair Wanika Fisher; seconded by Chair Calvin Hawkins. Vote: Chair Calvin Hawkins — aye; Vice Chair Wanika Fisher — aye; Council Member Oriada — aye. Outcome: approved (3-0).

- Motion favorable on House Bill 1470 (Prince George's County Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bay critical area: limits on liability for cutting/clearing trees): mover recorded as Vice Chair Wanika Fisher; seconded by Council Member Oriada. Vote recorded during roll call: Chair Calvin Hawkins — aye; Vice Chair Wanika Fisher — aye; Council Member Crystal Bridal — aye; Council Member Harrison — aye. Outcome: favorably recommended (4-0).

- Motion favorable on House Bill 1422 (Maryland Reparations Commission): moved by Council Member Wanika Fisher; seconded by Council Member Oriada. Vote: recorded as unanimous among members present (4-0). Outcome: favorably recommended (4-0).

- Motion favorable on House Bill 1131 (buprenorphine training grant program and work group): moved by Council Member Oriada; seconded by Vice Chair Wanika Fisher. Vote: unanimous among members present (4-0). Outcome: favorably recommended (4-0). Note: bill would require the governor to allocate at least $50,000 annually from the opioid restitution fund for training grants.

- Motion favorable on House Bill 1222 (Maryland Values Act — limitations on state/local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement): moved by Council Member Oriada; seconded by Vice Chair Wanika Fisher. Vote: unanimous among members present (4-0). Outcome: favorably recommended (4-0).

- Motion to hold House Bill 1241 (other tobacco products and electronic smoking devices; seizure and wholesaler license requirements): moved by Vice Chair Wanika Fisher; seconded by Council Member Oriada. Vote: unanimous among members present (4-0). Outcome: held for further review (4-0).

- Motion favorable on House Bill 270 / Senate Bill 116 (data center impact analysis and report): moved by Council Member Oriada; seconded by Vice Chair Wanika Fisher. Vote: unanimous among members present (4-0). Outcome: favorably recommended (4-0). The bill directs multiple state agencies and the University of Maryland School of Business to deliver a final report by September 1, 2026, assessing environmental, energy, and fiscal impacts of data center development.

- Motion to add Senate Bill 979 (and companion House Bill 1103) to the agenda and motion to support SB 979 (hotel/accommodation tax collection for short-term rental intermediaries): motion to add carried 3-0 on an impromptu agenda addition; a subsequent motion to support SB 979 carried 3-0. Outcome: added to agenda and favorably recommended (3-0).

What the committee did not decide: the committee did not adopt positions on several informational items (alcohol licensing bills and a housing briefing were discussed as updates), and it deferred further action on HB 1241 to allow the county executive’s office and public safety stakeholders additional time for review.

Speakers and presenters whose remarks are recorded in the meeting transcript include Chair Calvin Hawkins; Vice Chair Wanika Fisher; Council Members Crystal Bridal, Oriada, Moriarty and Harrison; committee staff (Clerk/Mr. Cooper); and presenters Lorenzo Bellamy (on HB 1470), Ron Young (on HB 1422 and HB 1131), Daryl Carrington (on HB 1222), Teresa Hessler (state education Blueprint updates and HB 270 briefing), Jimmy Tullo (budget/BRFR briefing), and a representative from the Office of the County Executive identified as Skinner. Quotations in this report are taken directly from the committee’s transcript and are attributed only to the speakers listed in the official record.

Ending: The committee signaled that the next several weeks will be active for tracking these measures in Annapolis, and it scheduled additional briefings — including a county briefing from the governor’s office on housing legislation and an energy update — for future committee meetings.