Public Service Commission
Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electric Cooperatives - Rate Regulation - Fixed Charges for Distribution System Costs [SB-1131]
[Energy ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Safety ]
Authorizing an electric cooperative to propose a fixed charge for specified fixed costs; requiring the fixed charge to be applied in a specified manner; prohibiting an electric cooperative from proposing an increase to a fixed charge that is more than 25% greater than the fixed charge in effect 1 year before the effective date of the proposed increase; specifying the manner in which an electric cooperative may propose a fixed charge; applying the Act prospectively; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Hearing 3/23 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/23/2016
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Gettr Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Electric Affordability Program - Study [SB-1075]
[Energy ]
[Small Business ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Health ]
[Economic Development ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to study and make recommendations about the advisability of establishing an opt-in electric affordability program for residential and small business customers of specified electric companies with specified characteristics and the advisability of allowing specified electric cooperatives to participate in the program; requiring the Commission to study and make recommendations on or before December 31, 2016, to specified committees of the General Assembly; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Favorable Report By Finance on 04/11/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity - Public Notice [SB-1069]
[Telecommunications ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Safety ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to provide a weekly notice of a public hearing and an opportunity for public comment on two types of social media and on the Commission's Web site with a specified frequency before the public hearing date; requiring the Commission, before a public hearing, to coordinate with a specified governing body or municipal corporation to identify additional options for providing, in an efficient and cost-effective manner, notice of the public hearing to the specified residents; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 464 on 05/10/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2016 [SB-1014]
[Energy ]
[Labor, Jobs, Employment ]
[Environmental ]
[Climate Change ]
[Funding ]
[Grants ]
[Economic Development ]
Establishing the Clean Energy Workforce Account in the Maryland Employment Advancement Right Now Program; providing the Account be used for grants for strategic industry partnerships for pre-apprenticeship job training for careers in the clean energy industry, or to provide pathways to advance existing careers within the clean energy industry; requiring the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to include specified information about the Clean Energy Workforce Account in a specified annual report; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Catherine Pugh
Unfavorable Report By Senate Rules; Withdrawn on 02/19/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
St. Mary's County - Taxicabs - Repeal of Local Provisions [SB-1001]
[Transportation and Motor Vehicles ]
Repealing provisions of law that relate to the regulation of taxicabs in St. Mary's County.
Sponsored by: Sen. Stephen Waugh
First Reading House Rules And Executive Nominations on 03/28/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Utility Customers - Carbon Footprint [HB-948]
[Energy ]
[Environmental ]
[Climate Change ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to develop a specified methodology to calculate the carbon footprint for specified utility customers; requiring a utility company to calculate the carbon footprint for specified customers; and requiring a utility company to include a customer's carbon footprint in the customer's monthly bill.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dan Morhaim
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/14/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Commissioners - Selection and Term [HB-937]
[Telecommunications ]
[Public Safety ]
Providing for the appointment of one commissioner by the President of the Senate and and one commissioner by the Speaker of the House of Delegates to the Public Service Commission; specifying the term of a commissioner, based on staggered terms that take effect on June 1, 2016; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Nathaniel Oaks
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/19/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Electric Affordability Program - Study [HB-927]
[Energy ]
[Small Business ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Health ]
[Economic Development ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to study and make recommendations about the advisability of establishing an opt-in electric affordability program for residential and small business customers of specified electric companies with specified characteristics and the advisability of allowing specified electric cooperatives to participate in the program; requiring the Commission to study and make recommendations on or before December 31, 2016, to specified committees of the General Assembly; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Favorable Report By Finance on 04/11/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
St. Mary's County - Taxicabs - Repeal of Local Provisions [HB-884]
[Transportation and Motor Vehicles ]
Repealing provisions of law that relate to the regulation of taxicabs in St. Mary's County.
Sponsored by: Rep.
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 283 on 04/26/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
State Government - Office of Legislative Audits - Alterations in Audit Requirements [HB-84]
[Budget and Spending ]
[Finance ]
[Alcoholic Beverages ]
Altering the time period during which the Office of Legislative Audits and the Legislative Auditor are required to audit specified State funds, programs, authorities, units, and a specified local liquor board; requiring the audit of each unit of State government to be conducted at an interval ranging from 3 to 4 years unless the Legislative Auditor determines, on a per case basis, that more frequent audits are required; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. The Speaker
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/27/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Energy Storage Portfolio Standard (Storage Technology and Electric Power (STEP) Act) [HB-821]
[Energy ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Budget and Spending ]
Establishing a specified energy storage portfolio standard in the State; requiring specified electricity suppliers to comply with the energy storage portfolio standard by specified dates; requiring specified storage capacity to be sufficient to provide electricity at a specified capacity for a specified period; providing that specified energy storage devices may be used to comply with the energy storage portfolio standard, with specified exceptions; providing for the creation and use of energy storage credits; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/08/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Damaged or Dangling Utility Lines - Fine [HB-808]
[Public Safety ]
[Telecommunications ]
[Energy ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to notify a specified person about a damaged or dangling line on a utility pole under specified circumstances; requiring a specified person to investigate and, where appropriate, repair a damaged or dangling line within 30 days after receiving notice from the Commission; and requiring the Commission to impose a maximum fine of $250 on a specified person that fails to repair a damaged or dangling line within the 30-day period.
Sponsored by: Rep. Carolyn Howard
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/29/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electricity - Energy Storage Systems (Storage Technology and Electric Power (STEP) Act) [HB-787]
[Energy ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Public Safety ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to open a proceeding to determine appropriate targets and policies for specified electric companies to procure energy storage systems by January 1, 2021, and January 1, 2026; providing for the consideration of specified matters in the proceeding; requiring the Commission to adopt targets by October 1, 2018; requiring the Commission to reevaluate specified determinations in a specified manner; providing for the scope and application of the Act; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/14/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Gas Companies - Infrastructure Replacement Projects - Amendment to a Plan [HB-75]
[Energy ]
[Infrastructure ]
[Public Safety ]
Altering from 120 to 150 the number of days during which the Public Service Commission is required to take a final action after a gas company files an amendment to an approved plan to invest in eligible infrastructure replacement projects.
Sponsored by: Rep. Charles Barkley
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 356 on 05/10/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Senior Call-Check Service Program - Establishment [HB-744]
[Senior Citizens ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Telecommunications ]
[Public Safety ]
[Human Services ]
[Healthcare ]
[Cybersecurity ]
Altering the purpose of the Universal Service Trust Fund; requiring the Legislative Auditor to conduct specified postaudits for a specified additional purpose; requiring the Department of Information Technology, in consultation with the Department of Aging, to establish and maintain the Senior Call-Check Service Program; authorizing the Department to contract with a private vendor or nonprofit organization to provide the specified service; providing immunity from liability or criminal penalty for administrators of the program; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Hearing 3/29 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/29/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Telephone Companies - Wired Broadband (Wired Broadband Act of 2016) [HB-613]
[Telecommunications ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Infrastructure ]
Requiring a specified telephone company to provide and maintain wired broadband service or pay the cost of providing wired broadband service to the Rural Broadband Assistance Fund; requiring the Public Service Commission, to the extent authorized under federal law, to cooperate with the Federal Communications Commission on efforts to promote universal wired broadband access in the State; and requiring the Commission to make a certain annual report and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 31 of each year.
Sponsored by: Sen. Cory McCray
Hearing 2/18 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/18/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Gas Companies - Rate Regulation - Environmental Remediation Costs [HB-571]
[Energy ]
[Environmental ]
[Public Health ]
[Water ]
Authorizing the Public Service Commission, when determining specified expenses while setting a just and reasonable rate for a gas company, to include all costs reasonably incurred by the gas company for performing environmental remediation of real property in response to a State or federal law, regulation, or order under specified conditions; authorizing that specified environmental remediation costs be included in a gas company's specified expenses regardless of specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Charles Barkley
Recommitted To Finance (senator Middleton) on 04/11/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electric and Gas Companies - Rate Regulation - Infrastructure Investments [HB-546]
[Energy ]
[Infrastructure ]
[Public Safety ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Budget and Spending ]
[Taxes ]
Increasing to a maximum amount of $4, up from $2, a specified monthly natural gas surcharge for specified retail natural gas customers; authorizing an electric company to recover specified costs associated with specified electric system infrastructure investments through a specified electric system infrastructure investment surcharge on customer bills; requiring electric system infrastructure investment cost calculations to include specified elements; specifying when costs shall be collectible; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Hearing 2/18 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/18/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Birth and Death Certificates - Fee Reduction [HB-459]
[Public Health ]
[Healthcare ]
[Budget and Spending ]
[Funding ]
Decreasing from $24 to $10 fees for certified copies of specified certificates; and decreasing from $20 to $10 the portion of each fee collected by local health departments required to be transferred to the General Fund.
Sponsored by: Rep. Eric Bromwell
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 316 on 05/10/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electric Companies - Installation of Solar Electric Generating Facility - Completion of Interconnection [HB-440]
[Energy ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Requiring an electric company, subject to a specified provision, to issue acceptance and final approval to operate a customer-generator's solar electric generating facility on the electric company's distribution facilities within 20 business days after the completion of the installation process and receipt of specified paperwork and documentation; requiring an electric company to complete specified interconnection requirements for at least 90% of installation processes completed during the year in a specified territory; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. David Fraser-hidalgo
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 431 on 05/10/2016