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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Public Safety, Health and Human Services Committee Meeting - May 14, 2026

County Council & Boards — Thursday, May 14, 2026

BodyPrince Georges County, Maryland

SessionCounty Council & Boards

DateThursday, May 14, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:13:57

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:02

Good morning.

0:03

I mean, good afternoon.

0:04

Um, apologize for our um tardiness, so much going on with budget.

0:09

This even appreciate your patience.

0:12

Uh today is May 14th, and the public safety health and human services committee is meeting.

0:17

We have five pieces um of legislation to discuss.

0:21

Um, Madam Clerk, if you could take the role.

0:26

Councilmember Fisher.

0:28

Um present.

0:29

Councilmember Hunter.

0:31

Present.

0:31

Councilmember Oriata.

0:33

Here three present.

0:34

Thank you.

0:35

And now at this time, I'm gonna turn to Mr.

0:37

Tut.

0:38

I'm gonna move around some of our legislation, and I'm gonna go to you want me to go to CR30.

0:45

CB, I'm gonna go to C B 38, an act concerning um the improv.

0:49

Oh, this is my bill concerning the impersonation of utility companies and government agencies.

0:55

I will refer to our committee director, Mr.

0:57

Tut, uh, to introduce the legislation.

1:01

Thank you, madam chair.

1:03

CB38 2026 is an act concerning impersonation of utility companies and government agencies.

1:10

The purpose is amending the county code to supplement existing law that prohibits a person from falsely representing that a person is or is acting on behalf of a utility company or a local state or federal government, and it provides for penalties and violations.

1:27

Uh the first offense or fines would be up to $2,000 and imprisonment not to exceed 60 days.

1:34

The second offense is 30 three, excuse me, $3,000, and the third offense is $5,000 each uh with the potential for up for up to 60 days in jail.

1:46

And uh Miss Lavinia Baxter provided a report that is on page 51 of your virtual binder.

1:54

Thank you, madam chair.

1:55

Thank you, Mr.

1:56

Todd.

1:56

Um Ms.

1:57

Foxer.

1:58

Yes, uh good afternoon.

1:59

Libinia Baxter, legislative budget and policy analyst.

2:03

On page four of the um fiscal impact statement, you'll see a table that was provided by Prince George's County Police, which was really helpful in kind of showing the trend of fraud uh for several care categories of impersonation, including uh local law enforcement, federal agencies, utility companies, banks, and other um right now there are from 2025 um to a year to date 2026.

2:36

There have been six cases of impersonation for utility companies.

2:41

Law local law enforcement impersonation has increased from nine cases last year to now 15.

2:48

So we can see that things are trending upward, especially with the enforcement of ICE in the community.

2:55

Sometimes they're posing as utility workers to gain access to people's homes and uh cars and et cetera.

3:02

So in terms of the fiscal impact, this should have a favorable um direct um impact on the county with the change in the uh fine structure and penalties that are associated uh with these types of fraud.

3:18

And again, the police department will be responsible for enforcing uh these violations.

3:24

Thank you so much.

3:25

And this time I'll turn to uh Jenora Hernandez for the Office of Law.

3:32

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members.

3:34

Um the office of law had an opportunity to review uh the legislation and finds the bill to be in proper form with no legal impediments to its enactment.

3:42

Great, and then the office of the county executive, Miss Angel.

3:46

Thank you, Angela Angel, Office of the County Executive.

3:50

Um, the police department found no issues with this bill and will be responsible for um implementation, and so we do support.

3:57

Great, thank you.

3:58

And then I'll call on myself as the the bill sponsor and council member Adam Stafford.

4:04

Um, I want to thank council member Adam Stafford for also bringing this um issue to my attention of um people posing as utility companies and particularly scamming our seniors at the door.

4:14

Um and I think we have to take um impersonation and scams much more seriously um in the code with what we can do, and then also you know, looking to state law next year to see what else we need to do.

4:25

So I think CB38 will be great, colleagues um to improve the safety and to to protect the generational wealth in our county that is under threat uh constantly these days.

4:36

Um so I would um love to have your support and uh favorable motion favorable second I have a motion favorable from Chair Oriata and a second from Councilmember Hunter.

4:49

Madam Clerk, can you call the roll?

4:52

Councilmember Fisher.

4:53

Aye, Councilmember Hunter, aye.

4:55

Councilmember Oriata, aye.

4:57

Motion carries 30.

4:59

Thank you so much.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Health██████████████████████████████████34%

Government Operations████████████████████████24%

Disability Rights████████████████████████24%

Public Safety█████5%

Community Engagement███3%

Transportation Safety███3%

Budget Equity Analysis██2%

Procedural██2%

Procurement█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Public Safety, Health and Human Services Committee Meeting - May 14, 2026

The committee met on May 14, 2026, at 1:30 PM (called to order at 1:50 PM) and adjourned at 3:06 PM. Present: Chair Wanika Fisher, Vice Chair Wala Blegay, Council Member Danielle Hunter, and Council Member Krystal Oriadha. Council Member Edward Burroughs was absent. The committee considered five pieces of legislation and advanced all to the full County Council.

Public Comments & Testimony

Fibroid-related bills (CR-030, CR-031, CB-036): Multiple speakers testified in support, sharing personal experiences with uterine fibroids. Speakers included Kim Lee King (fibroid ambassador), Nicole McCriman (Communications Director, Fibroid Foundation), and Dr. Claudine Wadiozer (family medicine physician and county resident). They emphasized the need for public awareness, early diagnosis, and workplace accommodations, noting that up to 80% of Black women develop fibroids by age 50.
Accessibility Task Force (CR-024): Janice Samuels, Carolyn Scales, Lakeisha Butler, and another resident advocated for greater representation of blind, low-vision, deaf, and hard-of-hearing residents on the task force. They argued that the initial proposal of only one blind or low-vision resident was insufficient to reflect the diversity of needs, and that lived experience is critical for effective recommendations.

Discussion Items

CR-024-2026 – Accessibility Task Force for the Blind and Deaf: Committee staff presented the resolution and proposed amendments (draft two). Amendments expanded the membership to include one resident each who is blind, low-vision, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind; added a commissioner from the Prince George’s County Commission for Individuals with Disabilities and a member from the Coalition of Blind Residents; and required that 50% of task force members be individuals with disabilities. The task force must begin within 90 days, with preliminary findings due October 6, 2026, and final recommendations by December 8, 2026. The Office of Law and County Executive expressed no objections.
CR-030-2026 – Fibroid Healthcare Support: The resolution encourages the county health department to raise awareness, publish an annual report on reproductive health disparities, and promote early screening. The County Executive’s office noted no fiscal impact for the reporting requirement but stated the health department would partner with providers for screenings. The Office of Law found it legally sufficient.
CR-031-2026 – Insurance and Healthcare Access for Fibroids: This resolution urges state and federal governments to increase fibroid research funding and improve insurance coverage. The Office of Law and County Executive supported it. No fiscal impact to the county was identified.
CB-036-2026 – Women’s Health Workplace Protections: The bill originally required both county employees and contractor employees to receive accommodations for severe menstrual or fibroid-related symptoms. After debate, the committee adopted three amendments: (1) removed contractor requirements, replacing them with a notification to contractors; (2) moved the definitions section into the personnel code; (3) changed the bill’s mandate from “the county shall” provide accommodations to a requirement that OHRM notify county employees that existing FMLA/ADA rights cover fibroids. The Office of Law and County Executive supported the amended version. OHRM noted that serious health conditions are already covered under FMLA and ADA.
CB-038-2026 – Impersonation of Utility Companies and Government Agencies: The act creates penalties for falsely impersonating a utility company or government agency, with fines of $2,000 (first offense) to $5,000 (third offense) and up to 60 days imprisonment. Police data showed impersonation cases increasing, including six utility company cases in 2025 and a rise in law enforcement impersonation from 9 to 15 cases year-to-date. The Office of Law, County Executive, and bill sponsor (Council Member Fisher) supported the bill as a consumer protection measure.

Key Outcomes

CR-024-2026: Favorably recommended with amendments (4-0, all present voted aye).
CR-030-2026: Favorably recommended. Note: Minutes record a vote of 3-0 with Vice Chair Blegay absent, but the transcript shows Blegay voting aye, resulting in a 4-0 vote. The discrepancy is noted.
CR-031-2026: Favorably recommended (4-0).
CB-036-2026: Favorably recommended with amendments (4-0).
CB-038-2026: Favorably recommended (3-0, with Blegay absent). All items will be sent to the full County Council for consideration.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. I mean, good afternoon. Um, apologize for our um tardiness, so much going on with budget. This even appreciate your patience. Uh today is May 14th, and the public safety health and human services committee is meeting. We have five pieces um of legislation to discuss. Um, Madam Clerk, if you could take the role. Councilmember Fisher. Um present. Councilmember Hunter. Present. Councilmember Oriata. Here three present. Thank you. And now at this time, I'm gonna turn to Mr. Tut. I'm gonna move around some of our legislation, and I'm gonna go to you want me to go to CR30. CB, I'm gonna go to C B 38, an act concerning um the improv. Oh, this is my bill concerning the impersonation of utility companies and government agencies. I will refer to our committee director, Mr. Tut, uh, to introduce the legislation. Thank you, madam chair. CB38 2026 is an act concerning impersonation of utility companies and government agencies. The purpose is amending the county code to supplement existing law that prohibits a person from falsely representing that a person is or is acting on behalf of a utility company or a local state or federal government, and it provides for penalties and violations. Uh the first offense or fines would be up to $2,000 and imprisonment not to exceed 60 days. The second offense is 30 three, excuse me, $3,000, and the third offense is $5,000 each uh with the potential for up for up to 60 days in jail. And uh Miss Lavinia Baxter provided a report that is on page 51 of your virtual binder. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, Mr. Todd. Um Ms. Foxer. Yes, uh good afternoon. Libinia Baxter, legislative budget and policy analyst. On page four of the um fiscal impact statement, you'll see a table that was provided by Prince George's County Police, which was really helpful in kind of showing the trend of fraud uh for several care categories of impersonation, including uh local law enforcement, federal agencies, utility companies, banks, and other um right now there are from 2025 um to a year to date 2026. There have been six cases of impersonation for utility companies. Law local law enforcement impersonation has increased from nine cases last year to now 15. So we can see that things are trending upward, especially with the enforcement of ICE in the community. Sometimes they're posing as utility workers to gain access to people's homes and uh cars and et cetera. So in terms of the fiscal impact, this should have a favorable um direct um impact on the county with the change in the uh fine structure and penalties that are associated uh with these types of fraud. And again, the police department will be responsible for enforcing uh these violations. Thank you so much. And this time I'll turn to uh Jenora Hernandez for the Office of Law. Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members. Um the office of law had an opportunity to review uh the legislation and finds the bill to be in proper form with no legal impediments to its enactment. Great, and then the office of the county executive, Miss Angel. Thank you, Angela Angel, Office of the County Executive. Um, the police department found no issues with this bill and will be responsible for um implementation, and so we do support. Great, thank you. And then I'll call on myself as the the bill sponsor and council member Adam Stafford.

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