Utility Regulation
Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Change in Electricity Supply - Written Permission Required [SB-894]
Prohibiting an electricity supplier or specified other person from making specified changes in the electricity supplier for a customer or adding a new charge for a specified service or option without first obtaining the customer's written permission.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joanne Benson
Unfavorable Report By Finance on 03/06/2014
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Gettr Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Electricity - Consumer Relations - Smart Meters [SB-880]
Requiring an electric company to give specified written notice to specified customers before installing smart meters on a customer's premises under specified circumstances; specifying the contents of a specified notice; establishing a process by which a specified customer shall be deemed to have given permission to an electric company to install a smart meter; requiring an electric company to exchange a smart meter for an analog meter or an analog meter for a smart meter under specified circumstances; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Hearing 3/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Electricity - Community Renewable Energy Generating System - Pilot Program [SB-786]
Establishing a pilot program on community renewable energy generating systems under the authority of the Public Service Commission; stating when the pilot program will begin and terminate; providing for the structure and operation of the pilot program, including the generation of electricity and allocation of costs and credits to system subscribers; authorizing an electric company to submit a petition to own and operate a community renewable energy generating system to the Commission; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Hearing 3/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Qualifying Biomass [SB-734]
Limiting the eligibility of qualifying biomass as a Tier 1 renewable source for the purposes of the renewable energy portfolio standard to qualifying biomass used at a generation unit that started commercial operation on or after January 1, 2005, and that achieves a total system efficiency of 65% or more; defining terms; altering terms; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joanne Benson
Hearing 3/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards [SB-733]
Increasing the renewable energy portfolio standards for electricity derived from Tier 1 renewable sources for years 2017 through 2022; increasing the minimum required percentage of Tier 1 renewable energy that must be derived from solar energy in years 2017 through 2022; establishing specified renewable energy portfolio standards for years 2023 through 2025 and later; and applying the Act prospectively.
Sponsored by: Sen. James Rosapepe
Hearing 3/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Electric Companies - Contact Voltage - Surveys - Revision to The Deanna Camille Green Act of 2012 [SB-724]
Altering how often an electric company must conduct a specified contact voltage survey; altering the type of objects and surfaces on which each electric company is required to conduct a specified contact voltage survey in a contact voltage risk zone to include objects and surfaces that are proximate to underground electric distribution plant; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Joan Conway
Unfavorable Report By Finance; Withdrawn on 02/10/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Thermal Energy [SB-530]
Altering the renewable energy portfolio standard for specified years; providing for specified thermal energy sources to be either Tier 1 thermal energy sources or Tier 2 thermal 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 Middleton
Hearing 2/18 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/18/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Poultry Litter Energy-Generating Cooperative Program [SB-521]
Establishing a Poultry Litter Energy-Generating Cooperative Program; prohibiting the rates and structure of the Program from being used for distributed generation from other sources of energy; requiring the Public Service Commission to consult with the Maryland Energy Administration on administration of the Program; requiring that the Commission determine whether an energy-generating cooperative applicant meets requirements; requiring the Commission to adopt regulations; providing for the allocation of unsubscribed energy; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Third Reading Passed With Amendments (136-0) on 04/07/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Safety - Gas Pipeline Inspection Requirements - State Penalties [SB-362]
Requiring a gas transmission company operating within the State to comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations with respect to gas pipeline safety inspections; authorizing the Public Service Commission, subject to specified provisions of law, to impose a civil penalty of $100,000 per day on a gas transmission company that fails to have a gas pipeline inspected as required by federal law; requiring all penalties collected under the Act to be paid into the General Fund of the State; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Robert Zirkin
Hearing 2/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Safety - Gas Pipeline Inspection Requirements - Best Available Technology [SB-361]
Requiring a gas transmission company operating within the State to comply with all applicable federal laws and regulations with respect to gas pipeline safety inspections; authorizing the Public Service Commission to adopt regulations specifying the technology to be used for the inspection of specified gas pipelines located within the State; providing for the jurisdiction and enforcement authority of the Commission; and declaring the intent of the General Assembly.
Sponsored by: Sen. Robert Zirkin
Hearing 2/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Fixed Charges for Taxicab Services - Baltimore City [SB-356]
Authorizing a taxicab permit holder to make a fixed charge for any trip by taxicab between specified locations in Baltimore City or between points within Baltimore City as approved by the Public Service Commission; and requiring that a fixed charge made under the Act be calculated on a mileage basis approved by the Commission.
Sponsored by: Sen. William Ferguson
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 156 on 04/14/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Wireless Landline Telephone Service - Prohibition and Study [SB-343]
Prohibiting specified telephone companies from replacing landline or wireline telephone service to a customer with specified wireless telephone service; prohibiting the Public Service Commission from authorizing specified telephone companies to replace landline or wireline telephone service to a customer with wireless telephone service; and requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to specified committees of the General Assembly on or before a specified date.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Hearing 2/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Electricity - Smart Meters - Disclosure of Usage Data [SB-280]
Prohibiting an electric company from disclosing specified data to a third party, subject to specified exceptions; authorizing a customer to submit a specified complaint to the Public Service Commission under specified circumstances; requiring the Commission to conduct a specified investigation following receipt of a complaint; authorizing the Commission to take specified actions; making an electric company liable for unauthorized disclosures of specified information; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Verna Jones-Rodwell
Hearing 3/04 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/04/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Agriculture - Easements - Renewable Energy Generation Facilities [SB-259]
Requiring an easement approved for purchase by the Board of Public Works after June 30, 2014, to authorize the landowner to request approval, under specified circumstances, to use the land subject to the easement for the generation of electricity by a facility utilizing an authorized renewable energy source under specified circumstances; authorizing a written request of a landowner to be approved by the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation to amend a specified easement; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 287 on 05/05/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Garrett County - Industrial Wind Energy Conversion Systems - Setback Requirement [SB-2]
Repealing the authorization for an applicant, on written approval by all owners of property adjacent to a proposed wind turbine in an industrial wind energy conversion system, to seek a variance with the Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development from a specified setback requirement for an industrial wind energy conversion system; and altering the definition of "setback distance".
Sponsored by: Sen. George Edwards
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 466 on 05/15/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Hydrokinetic Turbines [SB-156]
Altering the Maryland renewable energy portfolio standard program to include a specified amount of energy derived from hydrokinetic turbines beginning in the year 2022.
Sponsored by: Sen. Roger Manno
Hearing 1/28 At 1:00 P.m. on 01/28/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Competitive Retail Electricity and Gas Supply - Consumer Protection - Report [SB-1044]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to report to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2015, on the status of the Commission's efforts to provide appropriate protections for consumers in connection with competitive retail electricity supply and retail gas supply and recommendations regarding ratepayer protections; specifying the contents of the report; requiring the Commission to convene a workgroup of interested persons, including retail electricity suppliers, to advise the Commission; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 77 on 04/08/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Net Energy Metering - Industrial Combined Heat and Power [SB-1021]
Including in the definition of an eligible customer-generator for the purposes of net energy metering a customer that owns and operates, leases and operates, or contracts with a third party that owns and operates a specified industrial combined heat and power facility; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Catherine Pugh
First Reading Senate Rules on 02/13/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Solar Farms - Construction Requirements - Exemptions [SB-1020]
Exempting a solar farm from the requirement to submit a grading and sediment control plan in order to obtain a permit for grading or construction; exempting a solar farm from the requirement to submit a forest stand delineation and forest conservation plan in order to obtain a permit for grading or construction; and exempting a solar farm from the requirement to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity before constructing a generating station if the solar farm meets specified requirements.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Hearing 3/20 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/20/2014
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Billing for Noncommodity Products and Services - Prohibition [SB-1013]
Prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from billing its customers for noncommodity products and services.
Sponsored by: Sen. Katherine Klausmeier
Hearing 3/20 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/20/2014