Statement of Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg on passage of County Bill 46-09 Establishing A “Hiring Preference” for People With Disabilities

“I am thrilled that the County Council unanimously approved Bill 46-09 to establish this hiring preference for persons with disabilities. Now the government and residents of Montgomery County have an opportunity to benefit from the contributions and talents of all of our neighbors, regardless of a disability they might have.”

The Montgomery County Council today unanimously approved Bill 46-09 establishing a “hiring preference” for the initial appointment of a person with a disability to a vacant County merit system position if the candidate is among the highest rated candidates in a normal competitive process. Councilmember Phil Andrews is the chief sponsor of the legislation, which is believed to be the first local legislation of its type in the United States. Councilmember Vice President Valerie Ervin and Councilmembers Roger Berliner, Nancy Navarro and Duchy Trachtenberg are co-sponsors of the bill. The Council pursued action on the issue following release of a report on the practices of the County government’s hiring of persons with disabilities by the Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO).