Certain businesses in Prince George’s County may have to step up their security soon.A bill called the Late Night Safety Plan is making its way through the County Council right now - but there are some objections before it passes. Councilmember Krystal Oriadha, who represents District 7, introduced the bill back in March. This week, it passed through a committee and is on its way to a public hearing before a final vote. The goal, Oriadha said, is to combat a crime wave that is making the entire community feel unsafe. ... As part of the bill, businesses have to come up with a safety plan if they're open between the hours of 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. – the original legislation had the timeframe from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. That could include anything from extra lighting and surveillance cameras to staff training and adding on-site security. They then have to submit that plan to local law enforcement for review and approval and renew it every three years. And if they don't - they cannot operate during those overnight hours. The legislation mandates that the plans will be individualized for each business. ... In mid-September, neighboring Montgomery County started requiring businesses to have a late-night safety plan, as well. The difference is that theirs applies to businesses between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. The Maryland Restaurant Association and the Maryland Retailers Alliance have both asked Prince George's County Council to amend the current bill to those same times. "We definitely understand the intention to make sure that both customers and employees at these businesses are provided with a safe environment overnight," said Sarah Price with the Maryland Retailers Alliance. But, she said, they are hoping the council will be more transparent and provide more clarity to businesses about expectations moving forward. She added that many of the businesses that are open overnight are meeting a need within the community. Click here to read the full article from Fox 5 DC .

Shopping carts are at the center of new legislation in Prince George's County, Maryland. Residents say they've found shopping carts at apartment complexes, near dumpsters, on the side of the road and other unusual places. “In New Carollton, they’ll take a cart from somewhere and they come and leave it at my door,” one woman told News4. “I think it’s an eyesore, seeing all of the carts in the parking lots, in neighborhoods, in apartment buildings. That needs to stop," another woman said. Prince George's County leaders said they want the carts to come to a halt. “Abandonment of shopping carts, which can seem very like a nuisance or a random issue, but it’s really gotten exasperated, the amount of shopping carts that are in our community,” Council member Wanika Fisher said she decided to sponsor a proposal after a cart landed in her yard. She said she's received several complaints from residents in her district. ... Fisher's Shopping Cart Control Bill would require retailers to implement preventative measures to keep people from taking carts off store property and dumping them somewhere else. Retailers with more than 20 shopping carts would have to label and equip them with anti-theft measures and establish timelines to retreive the carts. Businesses that don't comply would face a $2,000 fine, Fisher said. “Keep retailers responsible for the carts that they utilize in their business,” Fisher said. The Maryland Retailers Alliance agreed cart theft is an issue and safeguards are needed. However, the group opposes the fine. “It ultimately comes across as businesses being held financially responsible for crimes that are committed against and on their property,” said Sarah Price, with the Maryland Retailers Alliance.  Click here to read the full article from NBC Washington.

Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman visited Berlin retailers Thursday afternoon to promote Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week, which ends Saturday. The comptroller was joined by Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall, Berlin’s Director of Economic and Community Development Ivy Wells and Berlin Town Administrator Mary Bohlen. During Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week, shoppers in Maryland can buy qualifying clothing and shoes priced at $100 less without paying the state’s 6% sales tax. The first $40 of backpack sales are also not subject to sales tax. ... Click here to read more about the visit from delmarva now .

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WASHINGTON, July 25, 2024 – The National Retail Federation today presented the 2024 J. Thomas Weyant Award to Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance. Locklair was recognized at NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit , where retailers, industry leaders and policymakers from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the retail industry’s premier advocacy event. “Cailey Locklair models excellence in association leadership, and NRF is proud to recognize her as a fierce advocate for the retail industry,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “I began my career at a state retail association, and the record of growth and success by the Maryland Retailers Alliance shows that Cailey and her team work tirelessly, passionately and effectively to create a healthy environment for retailers to operate in Annapolis and throughout Maryland.” The award, named for a former president of the Pennsylvania Retailers Association, was created by NRF in 1995 to honor individuals who devote their careers to leading state retail associations and advocating for the retail industry. Locklair works on behalf of the retail, chain drug store and food industries in Maryland. With nearly 20 years in state and local politics, she has pushed issues regarding the state budget, labor and taxes to the forefront of the Alliance’s advocacy agenda, all while emphasizing the necessity to address retail crime across the state. Locklair is a past Chair of the Council of State Retail Associations and a member of the Leadership Maryland Program Class of 2024. “It’s an honor to be named a J. Thomas Weyant Award recipient. I am proud to represent hundreds of Mayland retailers, their employees and the local communities they serve on a daily basis,” Locklair said. “I look forward to continuing our work at the Alliance to promote a thriving retail industry.” Previous recipients of the J. Thomas Weyant Award include North Carolina Retail Merchants Association President and General Counsel Andy Ellen, Retail Association of Maine President and CEO Curtis Picard, and Nebraska Retail Federation President Jim Otto. NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit brings together retailers of all sizes — ranging from independent local sellers to national brands — to meet with members of Congress and discuss a wide range of issues impacting the industry. This year’s event features The Retail Experience , an interactive showcase designed to highlight the power of the retail industry. About NRF The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. ###