Relating to Home Rule Reform

HB 5422 makes the Municipal Home Rule Program permanent and prohibits participating municipalities from creating local anti-discrimination ordinances that cover protected classes beyond those defined in state law. Municipalities in the program must pay an annual $2,000 fee to fund the Home Rule Board's operations, with unused funds carrying over to future years. This directly affects cities and towns that have joined the home rule program by limiting their ability to expand local protections beyond state requirements. The bill also establishes a dedicated fund for the Home Rule Board, ensuring ongoing program funding without requiring annual legislative appropriations.