Unfair Trade Practices
Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Negative Option Feature - Restrictions [HB-726]
Prohibiting a merchant from using a negative option feature in connection with a sale of, or free trial offer for, consumer goods or services unless the merchant provides the consumer with a written disclosure of the terms and conditions of the negative option feature; providing that a negative option feature used in connection with a sale of, or free trial offer for, consumer goods or services is not enforceable unless the consumer has expressly accepted the terms of the negative option feature in writing, etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Hearing 2/25 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/09/2010
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Gettr Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Debt Settlement Services - Study [HB-392]
Requiring the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation in the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, in consultation with the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General, to conduct a study of the State's debt settlement services industry; requiring the Office, in consultation with the Division, to establish a workgroup comprising specified representatives; requiring the Office, in consultation with the Division, to report findings to committees of the General Assembly; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Charles Barkley
Approved By The Governor on 05/04/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act [HB-379]
Requiring specified arbitration organizations to collect, publish, and make available to the public specified information relating to binding arbitrations to which a consumer is a party; requiring the information to be reported beginning on a specified day and to be updated at least quarterly thereafter; requiring the information to be made available to the public in a specified manner; providing that the information may be considered in making a specified determination; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Unfavorable Report By Finance on 04/10/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Consumer Protection - Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks [HB-1206]
Prohibiting specified persons from soliciting the execution of, processing, receiving, or accepting an application or agreement for a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check or facilitating the making of a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check under specified circumstances; requiring a facilitator of a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check to display a specified schedule of fees in a specified manner; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Approved By The Governor on 05/20/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Cable Operators - Purchase of Cable Converter Box [HB-1203]
Requiring a cable operator to provide specified options to subscribers concerning purchase of a cable converter box; providing that a cable operator may continue to offer specified options; prohibiting a cable operator from discriminating between specified subscribers based on whether a subscriber rents, leases, or owns a cable converter box; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters Withdrawn on 03/09/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Prepaid International Calling Cards - Notice of [HB-1170]
Prohibiting a person from selling or issuing a prepaid international calling card that is subject to expiration unless the date on which the prepaid international calling card expires is disclosed in a specified manner; 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 enforcement and penalty provisions.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/25/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Credit Card Blacklisting Prevention Act [HB-116]
Prohibiting a person from including or enforcing specified provisions in specified consumer credit contracts; permitting specified information to be used to prevent or detect fraudulent activity; 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: Sen. Brian Feldman
First Reading Finance on 02/26/2010
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Maryland 2010 Regular Session
Wireless Telephone Service - Trial Periods and Termination of Service [HB-1018]
Requiring wireless telephone service providers to provide customers with a specified trial period during which the customer may terminate service without incurring specified fees, charges, or penalties; requiring wireless telephone service providers to reduce by a specified amount specified fees and penalties related to the termination of service after the end of the trial period; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/24/2010
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
State Government – State of Emergency and Catastrophic Health Emergency – Authority of Governor and Unemployment Insurance Benefits
(COVID–19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020) [HB-1663]
Authorizing the Governor to take certain actions as a result of the issuance by the Governor on March 5, 2020, of the proclamation declaring a state of emergency for the duration of a certain emergency; providing that a certain violation is subject to certain provisions of law under certain circumstances; providing that a certain alternative workweek may allow an employee to work certain hours or shifts; requiring that an employee authorized to work an alternative workweek is considered a full-time employee; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Adrienne Jones
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 14 on 03/19/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
State Government – State of Emergency and Catastrophic Health Emergency – Authority of Governor and Unemployment Insurance Benefits
(COVID–19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020) [HB-1663]
Authorizing the Governor to take certain actions as a result of the issuance by the Governor on March 5, 2020, of the proclamation declaring a state of emergency for the duration of a certain emergency; providing that a certain violation is subject to certain provisions of law under certain circumstances; providing that a certain alternative workweek may allow an employee to work certain hours or shifts; requiring that an employee authorized to work an alternative workweek is considered a full-time employee; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Adrienne Jones
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 14 on 03/19/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
State Government – State of Emergency and Catastrophic Health
Emergency – Authority of Governor and Unemployment Insurance Benefits
(COVID–19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020) [SB-1080]
Authorizing the Governor to take certain actions as a result of the issuance by the Governor on March 5, 2020, of the proclamation declaring a state of emergency for the duration of a certain emergency; providing that a certain alternative workweek may allow an employee to work certain hours or shifts; requiring that an employee authorized to work an alternative workweek is considered a full-time employee; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. William Ferguson
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 13 on 03/19/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Hospitals - Financial Assistance Policies and Bill Collections [HB-1420]
Increasing the family income threshold at which a hospital's financial assistance policy must provide free and reduced cost medically necessary care to patients; requiring that a certain financial assistance policy include a certain payment plan, available to uninsured patients with family income between 200% and 500% of the federal poverty level and a certain mechanism for a patient to request a reconsideration; requiring that a certain financial assistance policy provide presumptive eligibility for certain care; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Samuel Rosenberg
Enacted Under Article Ii, Section 17(c) Of The Maryland Constitution - Chapter 470 on 05/08/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Merchant Cash Advance - Prohibition [HB-1478]
Prohibiting a buyer from arranging, facilitating, or consummating a merchant cash advance transaction with a seller in the State; providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice subject to certain enforcement and penalties; and applying the Act prospectively.
Sponsored by: Rep. Seth Howard
Hearing Canceled on 03/02/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Merchant Cash Advance - Prohibition [SB-913]
Prohibiting a buyer from arranging, facilitating, or consummating a merchant cash advance transaction with a seller in the State; providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice subject to certain enforcement and penalties; and applying the Act prospectively.
Sponsored by: Sen. Benjamin Kramer
Hearing 3/03 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/07/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Commercial Law - Merchant Cash Advance - Prohibition [SB-913]
Prohibiting a buyer from arranging, facilitating, or consummating a merchant cash advance transaction with a seller in the State; providing that a violation of the Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice subject to certain enforcement and penalties; and applying the Act prospectively.
Sponsored by: Sen. Benjamin Kramer
Hearing 3/03 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/07/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Unfair, Abusive, or Deceptive Trade Practices - Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults [HB-304]
Authorizing the Division of Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General to bring a certain action under the Consumer Protection Act against a person who violates a certain provision of criminal law regarding the exploitation of a vulnerable adult; adding a violation of a certain provision of criminal law regarding the exploitation of a vulnerable adult to the unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practices that are subject to enforcement and penalties under the Act; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Eric Luedtke
Enacted Under Article Ii, Section 17(c) Of The Maryland Constitution - Chapter 160 on 05/08/2020
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Maryland 2020 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Right to Opt Out of Third-Party Disclosure [HB-249]
Authorizing consumers to demand that a business not disclose the consumer's personal information to third parties and to exercise the right to opt out of third-party disclosure through a certain setting, including a browser setting, browser extension, or global device setting; prohibiting a business from disclosing the personal information of a consumer to a third party if the business has certain knowledge of or willfully disregards the fact the consumer is under the age of 18; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Ned Carey
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/02/2020
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - State Institutions of Higher Education [HB-1617]
Clarifying that a member of the State Labor Relations Board or State Higher Education Labor Relations Board may petition the circuit court to order the State, a president, a system institution, or a person to comply with an order from the Board; establishing that the failure to meet an established negotiation deadline is an unfair labor practice under specified conditions; requiring a system institution in the University System of Maryland to designate a representative of the Board of Regents to participate in collective bargaining; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Joseph Vallario
First Reading House Rules And Executive Nominations on 02/24/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Consumer Protection - Bank Overdraft Plans - Requirements [HB-1499]
Requiring that an overdraft protection plan of a banking institution be made available to customers only on an optional basis; requiring the plan to disclose, in a specified manner, specified fees and penalties and the method of applying debits and credits to a customer's account; requiring the plan to allow a customer to address an overdraft on a specified day and in a specified manner; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tawanna Gaines
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/15/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Bail Bond - Installment Contract - Form and Confessed Judgment Prohibition [HB-1494]
Requiring an agreement to accept payment for the premium charged for a bail bond in installments to be in a form approved by the Maryland Insurance Commissioner; prohibiting the agreement from including a confessed judgment clause that waives a consumer's right to assert a specified defense; prohibiting a bail bondsman from including a specified confessed judgment clause that waives a consumer's right to assert a specified defense in an agreement to accept payment for the premium charged for a bail bond in installments; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mark Chang
Favorable With Amendments {782610/1 Report Adopted on 04/10/2017