Unfair Trade Practices
Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales - Prohibition [HB-98]
Prohibiting a person from intentionally selling or using specified software to circumvent a security measure, an access control system, or any other control or measure on a specified Web site that is used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process; and providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and is subject to specified enforcement and penalty provisions.
Sponsored by: Rep. Sam Arora
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/15/2014
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Gettr Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Monitoring Consumer Behavior and Shopping Habits - Required Notice [HB-924]
Prohibiting a merchant from using a wireless Internet signal or a cellular phone to monitor the behavior or shopping habits of a specified consumer unless the merchant displays at each entrance to the merchant's business premises a specified notice in a specified manner; providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and is subject to specified enforcement and penalty provisions; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Charles Barkley
Hearing 3/27 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/27/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Viatical Settlement Contracts - Long-Term Care Services [HB-846]
Authorizing an owner of a life insurance policy with a face value of more than $10,000 to enter into a viatical settlement contract in exchange for payments to a health care provider for long-term care services for an individual; prohibiting the proceeds of specified viatical settlement contracts from being considered a resource or asset in determining an individual's eligibility for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Unfavorable Report By Health And Government Operations; Withdrawn on 03/31/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Mobile Phone Companies - Third-Party Vendor Billing - Restrictions [HB-788]
Prohibiting a commercial mobile radio service provider from including third-party vendor billing charges on a Maryland customer's bill except under specified circumstances; providing that a customer is not liable for third-party vendor billing charges unless the customer has expressly authorized third-party vendor billing and the customer is provided access to specified information; providing that a violation of the Act by a commercial mobile radio service provider is an unfair or deceptive trade practice and subject to a penalty; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Barbara Robinson
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/14/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Debt Settlement Services - Sunset and Reporting Extension [HB-704]
Extending to March 15, 2015, a specified reporting requirement of a registered debt settlement services provider; extending the deadline for specified reporting requirements of the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation in the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation and the Consumer Protection Division in the Office of the Attorney General; extending to June 30, 2016, the termination date for the Maryland Debt Settlement Services Act; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Carolyn Howard
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 277 on 05/05/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Required Disclosure of Social Security Number - Prohibition [HB-676]
Prohibiting a person from requiring a consumer to disclose the consumer's Social Security number to the person as a condition for the purchase or lease of consumer goods or consumer services; providing that the Act does not prohibit a person from requesting or requiring a consumer to disclose the consumer's Social Security number to apply for or obtain an extension of consumer credit; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Glen Glass
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters Withdrawn on 02/25/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Negative Option Feature - Restrictions [HB-652]
Prohibiting a merchant from using a negative option feature in connection with a sale of specified consumer goods or specified consumer services or a free trial offer for specified consumer goods or specified consumer services unless the merchant provides the consumer with a written disclosure of the terms and conditions of the negative option feature; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Guy Guzzone
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/25/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Libraries - Electronic Book Licenses and Sales - Discriminatory Practices [HB-244]
Requiring a person who offers to license or sell an electronic book to consumers in the State to offer to license or sell the electronic book to libraries in the State; prohibiting a person who licenses or sells or offers to license or sell an electronic book to consumers in the State from licensing or selling or offering to license or sell an electronic book to libraries in the State above a specified price; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Craig Zucker
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/24/2014
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Negative Option Feature - Restrictions [SB-709]
Prohibiting a merchant from using a negative option feature in connection with a sale of consumer goods or consumer services or a free trial offer for consumer goods or consumer services unless the merchant provides the consumer with a written disclosure of the terms and conditions of the negative option feature; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Hearing 3/06 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/06/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Real Property - Maryland Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Act [SB-383]
Establishing that a mortgage assistance relief service provider providing mortgage assistance relief in connection with a dwelling in the State that does not comply with specified provisions of federal law is in violation of the Act; authorizing the Attorney General or the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to seek an injunction to prohibit a violation of the Act; authorizing the Commissioner to enforce the provisions of the Act by exercising specified powers and requiring a violator to take specified affirmative action; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. James Rosapepe
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 464 on 05/16/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Public Safety - Emergency Management - Essential Goods and Services [SB-376]
Prohibiting a person from selling or offering to sell essential goods and services during a state of emergency for a price of more than 10% above the price charged by that person for those goods and services a specified time prior to the state of emergency; prohibiting a person from selling or offering to sell repair or reconstruction services or services used for emergency cleanup for a price of more than 10% above the price charged by that person for those services immediately prior to the state of emergency; creating an exception; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Nancy King
Hearing 2/14 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/14/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Office of the Attorney General - Workgroup on Children's Online Privacy Protection [SB-374]
Requiring the Office of the Attorney General to convene and direct a workgroup to examine specified issues relating to the protection of children's online privacy; requiring the workgroup to include specified representatives; requiring the Office of the Attorney General to report the findings and recommendations of the workgroup to specified committees of the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2013; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 246 on 05/02/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Public Safety - Emergency Management - Essential Goods and Services [SB-185]
Prohibiting a person from selling or offering to sell essential goods and services during a state of emergency for a price of more than 15% above the price charged by that person for those goods and services a specified time prior to the state of emergency; prohibiting a person from selling or offering to sell repair or reconstruction services or services used for emergency cleanup for a price of more than 15% above the price charged by that person for those services immediately prior to the state of emergency; creating exceptions; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joanne Benson
Hearing 2/07 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/07/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Cancellation of Sales of Motor Vehicles and Internet Sales [SB-116]
Requiring specified sellers to provide buyers of specified motor vehicles with a statement regarding the right of the buyer to cancel the sale and a description of how the buyer may return the motor vehicle; requiring specified sellers to provide buyers with a fully completed receipt or copy of a contract that pertains to a specified Internet sale and contains specified information; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joanne Benson
Unfavorable Report By Finance Withdrawn on 01/30/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Store Credit Cards for Rebates and Returned Merchandise - Required Notice [HB-878]
Prohibiting a merchant from requiring a consumer to accept a store credit card, instead of cash, a check, or a credit to the consumer's credit or debit card account, for a rebate or returned merchandise unless the merchant displays at the point of sale a notice disclosing in a specified manner a specified policy of the merchant; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Bonnie Cullison
Hearing 3/27 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/27/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Frederick County - Ethics - Former Officials and Employees [HB-432]
Authorizing the ethics provisions enacted by Frederick County to allow specified former officials or employees of the county to engage in specified representation or assistance that related in a specified way to the officials' or employees' former government activities after specified time periods; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep.
Hearing 3/12 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/12/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Public Safety - Emergency Management - Essential Goods and Services [HB-332]
Prohibiting a person from selling or offering to sell essential goods and services during a state of emergency for a price of more than 20% above the price charged by that person for those goods and services not more than 60 days or less than 4 days before the state of emergency; creating specified exceptions; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Craig Zucker
Unfavorable Report By Finance on 04/08/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Children's Online Privacy Protection [HB-316]
Prohibiting a person from violating the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act; prohibiting specified persons who engage in specified activities relating to the Internet or an online service from using specified information to display or transmit an advertisement for a product or service to specified children under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters Withdrawn on 03/21/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Real Property - Maryland Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Act [HB-291]
Establishing that a mortgage assistance relief service provider providing mortgage assistance relief in connection with a dwelling in the State that does not comply with specified provisions of federal law is in violation of the Act; authorizing the Attorney General or the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to seek an injunction to prohibit a violation of the Act; authorizing the Commissioner to enforce the provisions of the Act by exercising specified powers and requiring a violator to take specified affirmative action; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 465 on 05/16/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Consumer Goods Offered at a Sale Price - Rain Checks [HB-1469]
Prohibiting a merchant from selling, offering for sale, or advertising for sale consumer goods at a specified discount without offering a rain check to consumers; providing that a consumer is not entitled to receive a greater number of rain checks per consumer good than is allowed under a merchant's advertised limit; requiring merchants, other than retail food stores, to notify the holder of a rain check when the consumer goods for which the rain check was issued are in stock; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Unfavorable Report By House Rules And Executive Nominations Withdrawn on 04/02/2013