The Prince George’s County Council is the eleven-member legislative body that governs Prince George’s County, Maryland. It writes county law, approves an annual budget approaching $6 billion, decides zoning cases as the District Council, and acts as the county’s Board of Health. Residents can track every bill online, sign up to testify at hearings, and submit written comments through an eComment portal.
Who Sits on the Council
Nine members represent individual districts and must live in the district that elects them. Two at-large members are elected countywide, which gives them a broader mandate than their district colleagues.1Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 301 Composition
Terms run four years and line up with Maryland’s gubernatorial elections, so Council seats appear on the ballot the same year voters choose a governor.2Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 306 Term of Office No member may serve more than three consecutive terms.3Municode Library. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 307A Term Limitation
District lines are redrawn every ten years after the U.S. Census. A Redistricting Commission prepares a proposed map, working within rules like a population deviation below 4.5%, contiguous districts, and whole precincts, and the Council holds a public hearing before adopting the plan.4Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. Redistricting Commission To find out which district you live in and who represents you, use the county’s elected officials lookup and search by address.5Prince George’s County. Elected Officials
What the Council Does
The charter vests in the Council all the legislative power the county can exercise under Maryland’s constitution.6Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 302 Legislative Power In practice, that reaches into four areas residents feel most directly.
County Law
The Council enacts the local bills that shape county operations, from public safety and housing to transportation and the environment. Five standing committees screen most bills before they come to the full Council, covering education and workforce, government operations and fiscal policy, health and human services, planning and economic development, and transportation and infrastructure. A committee needs three members to meet and act.7Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. Committee System
The Budget
Each year the Council approves the county’s operating budget and capital improvement program. The proposed fiscal year 2027 budget totals $5.9 billion across all funds, with the General Fund accounting for roughly 84% of spending at $4.97 billion.8Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. County Council Budget Portal Education takes the largest share: in recent years about 62% of the General Fund has gone to Prince George’s County Public Schools, with another 20% to public safety.9Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. Prince George’s County Council Adopts FY 2025 Budget The same budget vote sets property tax rates and funds Prince George’s Community College and capital projects such as roads and buildings.
Zoning as the District Council
When it handles zoning, the Council sits as the “District Council” under the Maryland Regional District Act. In that role it decides rezoning applications and development proposals for most of the county and hears appeals from the Zoning Hearing Examiner and the Planning Board.10Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. District Council If you are buying property or opening a business, this is the body whose decisions determine what can be built where.
Board of Health
State law also makes the Council the county’s Board of Health. It must meet at least twice a year, in May and October, though it convenes more often in practice. The Board can adopt and enforce rules on nuisances and causes of illness as long as those rules are at least as strict as state regulations, and it sets fees for local health-related services.11Prince George’s County Legislative Branch. Board of Health
How a Bill Becomes Law
Any Council member can introduce a bill on a legislative session day. Within ten days the Clerk schedules a public hearing, which cannot be held sooner than fourteen days after introduction. Notice goes on the official bulletin board and into the county’s newspapers of record. If a bill is substantially amended, the process resets with a new hearing.12Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 317 Enactment of Legislation
Passage requires a majority of the full Council, at least six of eleven votes. Emergency bills addressing immediate threats to public health, safety, or welfare require two-thirds and must describe the emergency; they cannot be used to create or abolish offices, change officer compensation, or grant special privileges.12Prince George’s County. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 317 Enactment of Legislation
Once passed, a bill goes to the County Executive, who has ten days to sign or veto it. A veto must come with written reasons. The Council has thirty days to override with a two-thirds vote, which means at least eight of eleven members.13Municode Library. Prince George’s County Charter – Section 411 Executive Veto
When the Council Meets
Meetings fall on Tuesdays. The first and third Tuesdays are legislative days, when bills can be introduced and enacted. The second and fourth are business sessions used for public hearings, resolutions, and executive nominations. The Council does not meet in August or December.14Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. Council Sessions Members elect a Chair and Vice-Chair who run meetings, control the flow of hearings, and assign bills to committees.
How to Participate
Find the Bill First
Before signing up for anything, locate the item you care about in the Council’s Legislative/Zoning Information System. You can search by bill number, formatted like CB-001-2026, by year, or by item type.15Prince George’s County Council. Legislative and Zoning Items You will need the bill number to sign up to speak or submit written comments.
Signing Up to Speak
Sign-up forms for public hearings on specific bills are posted with the Council’s public hearing notices.16Prince George’s County Legislative Branch. Public Hearing Notices and Sign Up to Speak General public comment before a regular session is separate: speakers get two minutes each, and no more than five people are heard per session. If more than five sign up, the extra speakers can submit written comments or go on the list for the next session. On high-interest bills, the Council sets a three-minute limit at public hearings.14Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. Council Sessions Speakers are called in sign-up order and are expected to address the Chair and stick to the bill at hand.
Written Testimony
The eComment portal opens at 5:00 p.m. the Friday before a scheduled meeting. Comments submitted that way go into the official public record on the same footing as spoken testimony. If the portal is not an option, you can email the Clerk of the Council or send comments by fax. The Council does not take testimony by phone, voicemail, or social media.
Watching After the Fact
Video of each session is archived and usually posted within two business days, with agendas and minutes available alongside it.17Prince George’s County Legislative Branch, MD. County Council Video The archive is the simplest way to verify how your representative voted and to review what was said at a hearing. You can keep tracking the bill through the same legislative system after the vote.
Open Meetings and Accessibility
The Council operates under Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, which requires public meetings, advance notice, and public inspection of minutes, with closed sessions allowed only for specific sensitive topics.18Attorney General of Maryland. Open Meetings Act Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Council must give people with disabilities equal access to meetings, including communication aids like sign language interpreters, accessible online documents, and reasonable modifications to participation procedures.19ADA.gov. State and Local Governments If you need an accommodation, contact the Clerk of the Council ahead of the meeting.