LA PLATA, Md. — After months of discussion on establishing term limits for elected officials, the Charles County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday introduced a draft bill that would cap service at two terms and allow for nonconsecutive service. A public hearing is scheduled for Oct 21.
The proposed bill sets a two-term limit for all elected commissioners, permits nonconsecutive service, and defines a term as four years. Under the draft, all current board members are considered to have served one term as of Dec. 6, 2022, making them eligible to run for office one more time — either in 2026 or in a future cycle — so long as they do not exceed the two-term cap.
County Attorney Wes Adams presented the legislation during the board’s July 22 session. Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) read a question from a constituent asking about the difference between setting the effective date in 2018 versus 2022. In response, Adams explained that the bill could not be applied retroactively prior to Dec. 6, 2022, as doing so would improperly affect former commissioners. He said retroactive application could, in his opinion, violate Article 17 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights, which prohibits retrospective laws that impose penalties on past actions.
The bill also includes a clause addressing commissioners convicted of crimes while in office. Under the proposal, any commissioner who is suspended or removed from office during their term due to being found guilty of a felony, or of a misdemeanor related to their public duties, would be considered to have served one full term. That term would count toward the two-term limit, regardless of how much of the term was completed.
Commissioners voted unanimously to introduce the bill. While Commissioner Amanda Stewart expressed that she does not support the bill as written, she agreed it should move forward to a public hearing. Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II emphasized the importance of allowing residents to speak directly on the issue.
Commissioner Thomasina Coates (District 2) previously changed her position during the July 8 discussion after misunderstanding the difference between consecutive and nonconsecutive terms. She initially supported nonconsecutive limits but later said she preferred consecutive terms after learning that commissioners could run again after sitting out one election. With the board’s consensus already established, Coates will need to raise the issue again at the public hearing, where further discussion is expected.
What’s Next
The next step is a public hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. The hearing will be held in a hybrid format, allowing residents to attend and provide testimony either in person or virtually.
Following the hearing, the Board of County Commissioners is expected to hold a work session to consider any public feedback, propose amendments, and discuss the bill further. A final vote could take place after that session, although no date has been set.
If passed, the bill would formally establish a two-term limit for elected commissioners in Charles County, starting from Dec. 6, 2022, and would affect all current and future board members.
The full draft bill is available here: Read the Draft Term Limits Bill (PDF)
Learn more about how the draft was developed and where each commissioner stood in the July 8 discussion: Draft Bill on Charles County Commissioner Term Limits to Be Introduced July 22.
Board of Commissioners meetings can be viewed live or on demand via CCGTV.
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I’m all for this BUT, it won’t matter, since the CC peeps will just vote in some worse ones and our problems will multiply.