Utility Regulation
Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Damaged or Dangling Utility Lines - Fine [HB-808]
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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Gettr Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electricity - Energy Storage Systems (Storage Technology and Electric Power (STEP) Act) [HB-787]
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Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/14/2016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]
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]
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
Maryland Clean Energy Center - Clean Energy Technology Funding [HB-705]
Expanding findings of the General Assembly concerning the Maryland Clean Energy Center; expanding the purposes of the Center; altering the membership of the Board of Directors of the Center; requiring the Center to establish a Credit Investment Advisory Committee to review and make recommendations for qualifying project applicants; altering the authority of the Center to provide financing for clean energy technology-based businesses; establishing a Clean Energy Technology Financing Fund in the Center for specified purposes; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Hearing 2/25 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/25/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority - Funding [HB-696]
Authorizing the Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority to collect an assessment or a charge not exceeding 5 cents per ticket under specified circumstances; specifying the circumstances under which the Authority may collect an assessment or a charge; and providing for an exception to a specified limitation regarding sources of operational funding for the Authority.
Sponsored by: Rep. Sally Jameson
Enacted Under Article Ii, Section 17(c) Of The Maryland Constitution - Chapter 676 on 05/28/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Telephone Companies - Wired Broadband (Wired Broadband Act of 2016) [HB-613]
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]
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]
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
Cable Television - Equipment Rentals [HB-502]
Limiting specified equipment rental charges that may be included in rates of local cable television system franchises under specified circumstances; limiting the system charge to not more than $3 a month; providing that this Act does not limit the rates charged for program content; applying the Act to any cable television franchise agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2016; and providing that existing obligations or contract rights may not be impaired by this Act.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tony McConkey
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 02/16/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electric Companies - Installation of Solar Electric Generating Facility - Completion of Interconnection [HB-440]
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
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electric Companies - Vegetation Management - Local Law, Rule, Regulation, or Other Action [HB-435]
Repealing a prohibition against a county or municipal corporation taking specified actions that interfere with, or materially increase costs of, compliance with specified vegetation management standards under specified circumstances; requiring an electric company to attempt to work out a specified agreement with a county or municipal corporation to mitigate the impact of a local law, rule, regulation, or other action on efforts to comply with specified other vegetation management standards; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tawanna Gaines
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/16/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Health - Smart Meters - Report on Public Health Impact [HB-363]
Requiring the Public Service Commission and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene jointly to report to specified committees of the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2018, on the public health impact of smart meter deployment in the State; requiring the Commission, in consultation with the Department, to select and retain an independent expert, who is not an employee of the State, to prepare a specified report; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Glen Glass
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 02/09/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Department of Veterans Affairs - Study of Solar Photovoltaic System - Charlotte Hall Veterans Home [HB-362]
Requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Maryland Energy Administration, the Public Service Commission, and other specified entities to study the benefits, costs, and feasibility of installing a specified solar photovoltaic system at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home; and requiring the Department to submit a report of specified findings and recommendations to the Governor and specified committees of the General Assembly on or before December 15, 2016; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Marvin Holmes
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/29/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Service Commission Reform Act [HB-327]
Providing that not more than three commissioners of the Public Service Commission may be of the same political party; providing that not more than two commissioners may be from a single county; providing that the appointment of a commissioner is subject to specified restrictions on appearing before the Commission or receiving specified benefits for 1 year before the appointment; requiring the Commission to conduct at least two customer service meetings each year in different regions of the State; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Marc Korman
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/16/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Transportation Network Services and For-Hire Transportation - Clarifications [HB-3]
Expanding the types of motor vehicle liability insurers that may exclude coverage to operators providing transportation network services; prohibiting a person from operating a transportation network company in the State without a permit from the Public Service Commission; providing that before December 15, 2016, the Commission may not require an applicant for a for-hire driver's license or transportation network operator's license to comply with a specified criminal history records check; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Enacted Under Article Ii, Section 17(b) Of The Maryland Constitution - Chapter 28 on 04/08/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Electricity - Explanation of Bill Charges [HB-295]
Requiring an electric company to provide an explanation of specified charges on a customer's electric bill.
Sponsored by: Rep. Carol Krimm
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 02/09/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Energy Efficiency Programs - Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Services [HB-1569]
Prohibiting an affiliate of an electric company from using the electric company's trade name, logo, billing services, mail inserts, advertising, or computer services for a plan or program that provides heating, ventilation, air conditioning, or refrigeration services; requiring the Public Service Commission to determine just and reasonable compensation that an affiliate of an electric company shall provide to customers of the electric company's regulated services; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mary Ann Lisanti
First Reading House Rules And Executive Nominations on 02/22/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Telecommunications Access of Maryland Program - Communications Companies - Registration Requirement [HB-1430]
Specifying that specified provisions of law do not prohibit or require specified providers of voice over Internet protocol service to register or assess a fee for specified telecommunications relay service; and requiring the Department of Information Technology, in consultation with the Governor's Advisory Board for Telecommunications Relay, to establish a requirement for a specified communications company to register with the Department for a specified purpose.
Sponsored by: Rep. Seth Howard
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/14/2016
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Maryland 2016 Regular Session
Cable Service - Broadband Connection Requirement - Enforcement [HB-1415]
Providing that a county or municipality may establish specified penalties for failure to comply with a franchise agreement for a cable television system; requiring that a franchise agreement include a service connection requirement for wired broadband service, subject to specified conditions; providing that a specified failure to install wired broadband on request under a service connection requirement of a franchise agreement constitutes a specified breach; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mark Fisher
Hearing 3/11 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/11/2016