S.B. 689

VETOES

(d)     [In Howard and Montgomery Counties, the county council shall prescribe by
law the manner in which the powers, duties and responsibilities placed within its
jurisdiction and control by this section shall be exercised.

(e)     In Washington County, the Board of County Commissioners shall prescribe by
ordinance or resolution the manner in which the powers, duties, and responsibilities
placed within its jurisdiction and control by this section shall be exercised.

(f)      In Kent County, the application to the sheriff shall be made within thirty days
after the occurrence of the injury or destruction.

(g)     In Somerset and Dorchester Counties, this section does not apply.

(h) In Carroll and Frederick Counties, the Board of County Commissioners shall
prescribe by ordinance or resolution the manner in which the powers, duties, and
responsibilities placed within its jurisdiction and control by this section shall be exercised.
An award granted by the County Commissioners for damages may not exceed $300.

(i) In Garrett County, the Board of County Commissioners shall prescribe by
ordinance or resolution the manner in which the powers, duties, and responsibilities
placed within its jurisdiction and control by this section shall be exercised.

(j) In Caroline County, the Board of County Commissioners shall prescribe by
ordinance or resolution the manner in which the powers, duties, and responsibilities
placed within its jurisdiction and control by this section shall be exercised.

(k) In Baltimore County, the County Council may prescribe by law the manner in
which the powers, duties, and responsibilities of this section shall be exercised.

(1) In Harford County, the County Council shall prescribe by ordinance the
manner in which the powers, duties, and responsibilities placed within its jurisdiction and
control by this section shall be exercised. An award granted by the County Council for
damages may not exceed $500 per animal or $5,000 per incident.] IF. A COUNTY
GOVERNING BODY DOES NOT ADOPT A LOCAL LAW OR ORDINANCE UNDER THIS
SECTION, THE COUNTY IS NOT REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE ANY PERSON FOR
SHEEP, POULTRY, OR LIVESTOCK DESTROYED OR INJURED BY A DOG.

EXPLANATION: Article 24, § 11-508 requires the county commissioners of certain
counties to compensate persons whose sheep, poultry, or livestock is destroyed
or damaged by dogs from a dog license fund. Although several counties have
paid claims in recent years under this provision, staff recommends that this
requirement be modified to authorize each county to adopt a local law or
ordinance to address this issue. Since the provision would become
discretionary, single county exceptions would be repealed. For consistency,
Article 24, § 11-507 is modified to authorize each county to deposit dog
license fees in a special account or in the county's general fund. This
modification allows the repeal of single county provisions in § 11-507.

Article 25 - County Commissioners

3.

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