Allan, Jim, and Ed know you will be in touch.

There are two out spoken groups who are speaking out, and they want YOU to join them.

This Monday, April 7, 2008 is the last day of the General Assembly session for 2008, and so the last day in this session for the Senate to vote on HB246. Enabling legislation for standing on land use issues.

The first group, League of Women Voters, provides e-mail address and thoughts for your e-mail.

The second group, Howard County Land Use Coalition, provides e-mail address, thoughts, and phone numbers.

With all this information, you can call and e-mail.

League of Women Voters,

HB246
We ask you to take action either a phone call or an email :
Monday is the last day of the general Assembly session for 2008. The enabling legislation for standing on land use issues HB246 will come to a vote on Monday having passed successfully out of the Senate Committee on Saturday 4/5. Please contact your state Senator (Allan.Kittleman@senate.state.md.us, western Howard County and Ellicott City; James.Robey@senate.state.md.us, Columbia east; or Edward.Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us, Columbia west) and urge him to use his influence to ensure that this important bill gets a vote on the Senate floor.

This message needs to go out today or tomorrow so that they will have time to act. HB 246 simply enables our Howard County Council to decide what rights of standing they want to give to their citizens. It requires nothing and, in and of itself, grants nothing except the right of local government to make its own decision. This right is already enjoyed by all but seven counties in Maryland. It is simply a matter of leveling the playing field to allow Howard County the rights that almost all other counties and municipalities already have.

Howard County Land Use Coalition

Timing is critical, here's why:

o HB246 was released from committee with a favorable vote
o HB246 has not shown up on the Senate agenda for vote
o Annual session ends Monday (tomorrow) at midnight

Our representatives need to hear from all of us - again - this afternoon (Sunday) in order to provide them with the time and basis to put this bill on the agenda for Monday (tomorrow).

Please contact Senators:

Allan.Kittleman@senate.state.md.us

James.Robey@senate.state.md.us,

Edward.Kkasemeyer@senate.state.md.us

to urge them to use influence to ensure that this important bill gets a vote on the Senate floor. Use any method of contact and number of contacts you prefer.

Phone number for Senator Kasemeyer: (410) 841-3653, Senator Kittleman: (410) 841-3671, Senator Robey: (410) 841-3572.

Pls forward to your email lists - make it as easy as possible for these Senators to know without question the importance and numbers of us who support this bill.

Suggested email text is below.

Dear Senators,
HB246, sponsored by Delegate Liz Bobo and Delegate Virginia Clagett of Anne Arundel County has passed all of the way through the House of Delegate and yesterday afternoon received a favorable vote in the Senate Committee. The full Senate met in session today and voted out many bills, but HB246 has not yet shown up on the agenda for the Senate floor.
This bill simply ENABLES the Howard County Council and the local legislative bodies of six other Maryland counties to adopt local legislation that would give its residents the right to challenge a land use decision made by its government. It would be up to the local county council to determine how broad or narrow this right would be.
All other counties (17) and ALL municipalities in Maryland already have this right. IT IS UNEQUITABLE AND SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR HOWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS TO BE IN THIS DISADVANTAGED POSITION.
The people of Howard County are counting on you to see that this bill is brought up for a vote and passed out of the Senate.
I know that you are in the extremely busy last day of the legislative session. I do request a response informing me of how you voted.