HB1401 authorizes the County Commissioners of Calvert County to adopt a local ordinance allowing the County Attorney or the Calvert County State’s Attorney to prohibit certain future events or gatherings. The prohibition may be used when a proposed event or gathering is likely to create a nuisance or interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of private or public property. The bill also allows the county to set penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations of any prohibition adopted under the ordinance.
The measure is narrowly tailored to Calvert County and would add a new section to the Local Government Article of the Maryland Code. It does not itself ban any particular event statewide; instead, it gives the county local authority to regulate future gatherings through a county ordinance, with the act taking effect June 1, 2025.
Impact
If enacted, HB1401 would expand Calvert County’s home-rule authority by expressly permitting local officials to preemptively restrict future events or gatherings under specified nuisance-related standards. It would create a new county-level enforcement framework, including penalties for violations, and would affect organizers, property owners, and attendees of events that the county determines are likely to cause nuisance or disturb the peace. The bill would amend the Local Government Article and apply only in Calvert County.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the available record shows no documented public sentiment, support, or opposition. The bill’s framing suggests a local public-order and nuisance-control purpose, but the context provided does not include debate or vote outcomes that would indicate broader legislative sentiment.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the breadth of discretion given to county officials and prosecutors to prohibit a future event based on a predicted likelihood of nuisance or disturbance, rather than an actual violation after the fact. Critics could view that as an expansive prior-restraint style power affecting assembly and event planning, while supporters may see it as a targeted tool for preventing disruptive gatherings and protecting neighboring property owners. No specific opposing or supporting stakeholders are identified in the provided transcript or vote history.