Public Service Commission
Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Telecommunications Law - Modernization [SB-577]
[Telecommunications ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Providing that a telephone company is not required to file with the Public Service Commission a specified tariff schedule except under specified circumstances; limiting the type of services in which a telephone company may not establish a new rate under specified circumstances; allowing a telephone company to discontinue or abandon a specified service under specified circumstances; providing that a specified prior authorization is not required for specified transactions; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Catherine E Pugh
Hearing 3/10 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/10/2015
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Gettr Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Restrictions After Service [SB-54]
[Ethics ]
[Public Safety ]
Prohibiting an individual from receiving financial benefit, that is not otherwise generally available to the public as a customer of a public service company, from public service companies, persons, or entities until at least 1 year has passed after the individual left service with the Public Service Commission as a commissioner; applying the Act to an individual who serves as a commissioner of the Public Service Commission on or after January 1, 2015; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas McClain Middleton
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating System Program [SB-481]
[Energy ]
[Community Development ]
Establishing a Program on community solar energy generating systems under the authority of the Public Service Commission; providing for the structure and operation of the Program, including the generation of electricity and allocation of costs to system subscribers; authorizing an electric company to submit a petition to own and operate a community solar energy generating system to the Commission; authorizing the Commission to approve a petition if the Commission makes a specified determination; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. James C. Rosapepe
Hearing 3/03 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/03/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Electricity - Construction of Overhead Transmission Lines [SB-460]
[Energy ]
[Telecommunications ]
[Construction ]
Altering the scope of persons who may apply to begin construction of a new overhead transmission line for electricity under specified circumstances to include an electric company or a person who is or will be subject to regulation as a public utility by an officer or an agency of the United States; prohibiting the Public Service Commission from issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of a specified overhead transmission line to an applicant other than an electric company under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas McClain Middleton
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 174 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating System Program [SB-398]
[Energy ]
[Environmental ]
Establishing a pilot program on community solar energy generating systems under the authority of the Public Service Commission; providing for the structure and operation of the program, including the generation of electricity and allocation of costs to subscribers to the community solar energy generating system; requiring the Commission to limit the program so that the Commission may conduct a meaningful study of the program's results; requiring the Commission to adopt specified regulations on or before May 15, 2016; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas McClain Middleton
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 346 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Electric Companies - Customer Choice of Electricity Supplier - Smart Meters [SB-382]
[Energy ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
Requiring specified regulations or orders to specify a specified timing for an electric company to process a specified transaction for enrollment from an electricity supplier; requiring an electric company, if a customer has a smart meter, to process a transaction for enrollment from an electricity supplier to be effective within three business days after receiving the transaction from the electricity supplier.
Sponsored by: Sen. Stephen S Hershey
Hearing 2/17 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/17/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Maryland Commission on Climate Change [SB-258]
[Environmental ]
[Energy ]
[Climate Change ]
Establishing the Commission on Climate Change in the Department of the Environment to advise the Governor and General Assembly on ways to mitigate the causes of, prepare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change; establishing the membership of the Commission; requiring the Commission to establish specified working groups; requiring the commission members and working group members to be appointed and the Commission to be convened on or before July 1, 2016; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores G Kelley
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Telephone Companies - Streamlined Regulatory Requirements [SB-207]
[Telecommunications ]
Narrowing the types of services of a telephone company that are regulated by the Public Service Commission by altering a specified definition; providing that the Commission may allow a specified telephone company to provide a regulated service without requiring the telephone company to file a specified tariff schedule if the Commission finds that it is in the public interest; requiring the Commission to make a specified determination on specified services on or before September 1, 2015; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores G Kelley
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Thermal Energy [SB-154]
[Energy ]
Altering the renewable energy portfolio standard for specified years; providing for specified thermal energy sources to be thermal tier energy sources; requiring an electricity supplier to meet the renewable energy portfolio standard by accumulating a specified amount of renewable energy credits and thermal renewable energy credits; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas McClain Middleton
Hearing 2/17 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/17/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Hearing Examiners - Change of Job Title [SB-11]
[Labor, Jobs, Employment ]
Changing the job title of "hearing examiners" of the Public Service Commission to "public utility law judges".
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas McClain Middleton
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Energy Efficiency and Demand Management Programs and Services - Repeal [HB-933]
[Energy ]
Repealing provisions requiring the Public Service Commission to make specified yearly calculations, require gas companies and electric companies to establish specified programs and services, adopt specified rate-making policies, and ensure that the adoption of electric customer choice does not adversely impact the continuation of specified programs; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Jason C. Buckel
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/17/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Electricity - Energy Storage - Fuel Cells (Stored Energy and Power (StEP) Act) [HB-656]
[Energy ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Public Safety ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to establish a pilot program to encourage the use of fuel cells for energy storage in the State; requiring a generator that participates in the pilot program to establish a fuel cell demonstration project; authorizing the Commission to provide incentives for participation in the pilot program; requiring, on or before December 31 of each year, the Commission to report to the Governor and specified committees of the General Assembly on the status of the pilot program; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Barbara A. Robinson
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/17/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Thermal Energy [HB-636]
[Energy ]
Altering the renewable energy portfolio standard for specified years; providing for specified thermal energy sources to be thermal tier energy sources; requiring an electricity supplier to meet the renewable energy portfolio standard by accumulating a specified amount of renewable energy credits and thermal renewable energy credits; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dana M Stein
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 04/08/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Electric Companies - Vegetation Management [HB-611]
[Energy ]
[Public Safety ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission, in adopting specified vegetation management regulations, to require that an electric company's vegetation management program comply with the International Society of Arboriculture's Best Management Practices for Utility Pruning of Trees; and prohibiting an electric company from removing a tree on private property unless the tree is hazardous and the private property owner has consented to removal of the hazardous tree.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kathleen M Dumais
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/17/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Attachments to Utility Poles - Study [HB-541]
[Telecommunications ]
[Energy ]
[Infrastructure ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to convene a workgroup to study attachments to utility poles in the State; and requiring the workgroup to examine specified matters relating to pole attachments and to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2015.
Sponsored by: Sen. William C. Smith
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 431 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Gas and Electricity - Smart Meters - Customer Rights and Required Reports [HB-516]
[Energy ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Health ]
[Healthcare ]
[Public Safety ]
Requiring a utility company to give specified written notice to specified customers prior to deploying smart meters throughout all or a portion of the utility company's service territory; prohibiting a utility company from imposing any additional fee or charge on a specified customer who refuses installation of a smart meter or requests removal of a smart meter; requiring the Public Service Commission and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to make specified reports regarding smart meters; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. William C. Smith
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 04/03/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Maryland Commission on Climate Change [HB-514]
[Environmental ]
[Energy ]
[Climate Change ]
Establishing the Commission on Climate Change in the Department of the Environment to advise the Governor and General Assembly on ways to mitigate the causes of, prepare for, and adapt to the consequences of climate change; establishing the membership of the Commission; requiring the Commission to establish specified working groups; requiring the Commission members and working group members to be appointed and the Commission to be convened on or before July 1, 2016; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dana M Stein
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 429 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Gas and Electricity - Analog Meters - Purchase and Installation [HB-508]
[Energy ]
[Consumer Protection ]
[Public Safety ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to authorize a customer of a gas company or an electric company to purchase and install an analog meter; requiring the meter to comply with specified standards; requiring a gas company or electric company to install the meter or allow specified persons to install the meter at the customer's request; providing that an analog meter may replace a different type of meter; prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from requiring the customer to install additional controls; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. William C. Smith
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 04/03/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Telephone Companies - Streamlined Regulatory Requirements [HB-472]
[Telecommunications ]
[Technology and Innovation ]
[Consumer Protection ]
Narrowing the types of services of a telephone company that are regulated by the Public Service Commission by altering a specified definition; providing that the Commission may allow a specified telephone company to provide a regulated service without requiring the telephone company to file a specified tariff schedule if the Commission finds that it is in the public interest; providing that specified transactions do not require specified prior authorization from the Commission; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Sally Y Jameson
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 250 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Electricity - Construction of Overhead Transmission Lines [HB-469]
[Energy ]
[Telecommunications ]
[Construction ]
Altering the scope of persons who may apply to begin construction of a new overhead transmission line for electricity under specified circumstances to include an electric company or a person who is or will be subject to regulation as a public utility by an officer or an agency of the United States; prohibiting the Public Service Commission from issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of a specified overhead transmission line to an applicant other than an electric company under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Talmadge Branch
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/12/2015