Howard County amends housing-discrimination law to include citizenship/immigration status and expand protections

Council bill 85, which updates Howard County’s housing discrimination provisions to comply with state subtitle and to expand the definition of protected classes, including citizenship or immigration status, passed the council as amended.

Sponsors and the county attorney’s office discussed legal sufficiency and prior charter amendments that had previously placed related language in employment sections; the council’s office told members it had confirmed legal sufficiency for the proposed wording. An initial amendment inserted citizenship/immigration status into the county code as a protected basis and was supported by the council’s Office of Law and staff, who noted prior charter-level amendments and other local code references.

The council approved additional amendments that clarified that some protections apply to entities as well as individuals (commercial-lease language) and fixed technical and consistency issues across the human-rights code, including explicit additions to gender-identity/expression language where needed.

Support and concerns: Councilmembers and staff discussed prior public referenda and administrative steps that influenced the drafting and underscored that the amendment restores previously intended protections. There was no extended public controversy recorded on the floor; councilmembers expressed broad support after technical clarifications and votes.

Outcome: CB 85, as amended, passed on a recorded roll call. The council’s legal and administrative teams will oversee code updates and ensure consistent cross-references.

Next step: Staff will update the county code and notify relevant departments and stakeholders of the amended protected-class definitions and any compliance guidance needed.