Unfair Trade Practices
Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Maryland Consumer Protection Act - Scope [HB-126]
Expanding the definition of "consumer" under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act to include a specified organization that purchases, rents, or leases goods or services for the benefit of the members of the organization; expanding the definition of "consumer goods" and "consumer services" under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act to include specified goods and services purchased, rented, or leased by a specified organization for the benefit of members of the organization; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 350 on 05/02/2013
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Gettr Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Payment by Credit Card - Prohibition of Surcharge [HB-1218]
Prohibiting a merchant that accepts payment by credit card from imposing a specified surcharge on a buyer who elects to use a credit card to make payment in a sales transaction for consumer goods or consumer services; providing that the Act does not prohibit a merchant from offering a discount for a specified purpose if the discount is offered to all prospective buyers; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Susan Aumann
Hearing 2/22 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/22/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Home Appliances and Warranty Enforcement - Study [HB-1215]
Requiring the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General to conduct a study of the consumer protections available to purchasers of home appliances who seek enforcement of specified warranties; requiring the study to analyze specified complaints, evaluate whether specified requirements and remedies under State and federal law provide adequate protection to specified purchasers of home appliances, and make a specified determination; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Jay Walker
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 408 on 05/02/2013
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Maryland 2013 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Negative Option Feature - Restrictions [HB-1212]
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. Craig Zucker
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 04/03/2013
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Insurance - Unfair Claim Settlement Practices - Refusal to Pay a Claim [SB-960]
Altering the circumstances under which it is an unfair claim settlement practice and a violation of specified provisions of law for an insurer, nonprofit health service plan, or health maintenance organization to refuse to pay a claim.
Sponsored by: Sen. Catherine Pugh
Hearing 3/22 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/02/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Rental-Purchase Agreements - Disclosures [SB-778]
Requiring a specified lessor to maintain specified records for a specified period of time; requiring a lessor to provide a written receipt and a written statement to a consumer under specified circumstances; requiring that a written receipt contain specified information; prohibiting a lessor from bringing a specified court action unless a specified notice is given to the consumer; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Catherine Pugh
Approved By The Governor on 05/22/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Maryland Consumer Protection Act - Scope [SB-726]
Expanding the definition of "consumer" under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act to include a nonprofit organization that purchases, rents, or leases goods or services for the benefit of the members of the nonprofit organization; establishing that an unfair or deceptive trade practice includes an act or omission relating to the purchase, rental, or lease by a nonprofit organization of specified goods or services; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Charles Muse
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 04/07/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Retail Pet Stores - Sales of Dogs - Required Records, Health Disclosures, and [SB-317]
Requiring a retail pet store that sells dogs to post conspicuously on each dog's cage specified information about the dog; requiring a retail pet store to maintain a written record that contains specified information about each dog in the possession of the retail pet store; requiring a retail pet store to maintain a record for at least 1 year after the date of sale of a dog and to make specified records available to the Division of Consumer Protection of the Office of the Attorney General under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Approved By The Governor on 05/02/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Rental-Purchase Agreements - Disclosures [HB-997]
Requiring a specified lessor to maintain specified records for a specified period of time; requiring a lessor to provide a written receipt and a written statement to a consumer under specified circumstances; requiring that a written receipt contain specified information; prohibiting a lessor from bringing a specified court action unless a specified notice is given to the consumer; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Approved By The Governor on 05/22/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Unfair Claim Settlement Practices - Refusal to Pay a Claim Under Homeowner's [HB-861]
Altering the circumstances under which it is an unfair claim settlement practice and a violation of specified provisions of law for an insurer, nonprofit health service plan, or health maintenance organization to refuse to pay a claim under a policy of homeowner's insurance.
Sponsored by: Rep. Aisha Braveboy
Re-referred Finance on 04/06/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Electric Companies and Gas Companies - Customer Accounts and Information [HB-771]
Requiring an electric company, a gas company, or an electric and gas company, on request by a competitive supplier of electricity or gas, to provide specified information related to specified customer accounts to the supplier, subject to restrictions; requiring the distribution utility to provide the information in a specified form and to update it periodically; prohibiting a distribution utility from providing specified information without the prior authorization of a customer; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Favorable With Amendments Report By Finance on 04/07/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Home Appliances - Warranty Enforcement [HB-193]
Requiring a manufacturer of home appliances or its agent to repair or correct a nonconformity in a home appliance at no cost to the consumer if the home appliance does not conform to the manufacturer's express warranties; requiring a manufacturer, under specified circumstances and at the option of the consumer, to replace a home appliance with a comparable home appliance or accept return of a home appliance and refund the purchase price less reasonable allowances; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Jay Walker
Hearing 3/29 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/26/2012
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Maryland 2012 Regular Session
Retail Pet Stores - Sales of Dogs - Required Records, Health Disclosures, and [HB-131]
Requiring a retail pet store that sells dogs to post conspicuously on each dog's cage specified information about the dog; requiring a retail pet store to maintain a written record that contains specified information about each dog in the possession of the retail pet store; requiring a retail pet store to maintain a record for at least 1 year after the date of sale of a dog and to make specified records available to the Division of Consumer Protection of the Office of the Attorney General under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Approved By The Governor on 05/02/2012
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Maryland Consumer Protection Act - Scope [SB-75]
Expanding the scope of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act by altering the definition of "consumer" to include an individual who sells or offers for sale to a merchant consumer goods or consumer realty, and altering the definition of "merchant" to include a person who directly or indirectly purchases or offers to purchase any consumer goods or consumer realty and whose business includes paying off consumer debt in connection with the purchase of consumer goods or consumer realty; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. John Astle
Approved By The Governor on 05/19/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Debt Settlement Services [SB-741]
Prohibiting a person from providing debt settlement services in the State unless the person is registered as a debt settlement services provider with the Commissioner of Financial Regulation or is exempt; prohibiting a registrant from charging a debt settlement services fee until after specified actions have taken place; requiring that a debt settlement services agreement include specified information and disclosures; providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair or deceptive trade practice; terminating the Act on June 30, 2015; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Richard Madaleno
Approved By The Governor on 05/10/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Higher Education - Regulation of Public, Private Nonprofit, and For-Profit [SB-695]
Distinguishing between public, private nonprofit, and for-profit institutions of higher education; clarifying that a person is prohibited from engaging in unfair or deceptive practices in the offer for sale of specified educational services; authorizing the Maryland Higher Education Commission to create and provide for the operation of specified guaranty funds; prohibiting specified State money from being transferred or reverted to the General Fund; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joan Conway
Approved By The Governor on 05/10/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Anne Arundel County - Automated Political Telephone Calls - Prohibition [SB-527]
Prohibiting a person from placing or causing to have placed an automated telephone call to a residential telephone number in Anne Arundel County that is registered on the national do-not-call registry with the purpose of promoting a political candidate or advertising, campaigning, or soliciting donations for or against a political candidate, or relating to a political issue; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Bryan Simonaire
Hearing 3/1 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/09/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Motor Vehicle Air Bags - Consumer Protection and Reporting Requirements [SB-48]
Prohibiting the installation of a salvaged air bag in a motor vehicle; prohibiting specified acts related to the fraudulent sale or installation of motor vehicle air bags; requiring specified records to be maintained in connection with the sale or installation of motor vehicle air bags; requiring specified information to be provided or made available for inspection under specified circumstances; requiring specified accident reports and forms to contain specified information; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Hearing 2/9 At 1:00 P.m. (finance) on 01/26/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Life Insurance and Annuities - Retained Asset Accounts - Beneficiaries' Bill of [SB-217]
Prohibiting an insurer from offering a specified retained asset account as the mode of settlement of proceeds payable under a life insurance policy or annuity contract unless the insurer makes a specified offer and complies with specified disclosure requirements; requiring an insurer to disclose in writing to a beneficiary all the settlement options available under a specified policy or contract under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Approved By The Governor on 04/12/2011
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Maryland 2011 Regular Session
Higher Education - Regulation of Public, Private Nonprofit, and For-Profit [HB-995]
Distinguishing between public, private nonprofit, and for-profit institutions of higher education; prohibiting a person from engaging in unfair or deceptive practices in the offer for sale of specified educational services; authorizing the Maryland Higher Education Commission to create and provide for the operation of a specified guaranty fund; prohibiting institutions of higher education from paying a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based on success in student recruitment or admission activity; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. John Bohanan
Unfavorable Report By Appropriations Withdrawn on 04/08/2011