Utility Regulation
Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions - Alterations and Requirements [SB-689]
Altering the goals and requirements of certain energy efficiency programs to include certain greenhouse gas emissions reductions from electric companies and gas companies beginning January 1, 2024; requiring the EmPOWER Maryland Program to provide consumer rebates, and promote the use of certain federal rebates, for certain technologies; requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development and electric utilities to promote fuel switching from gas to electricity; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Karen Lewis Young
Hearing 2/28 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/08/2023
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Gettr Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Cybersecurity Staffing and Assessments (Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Act of 2023) [SB-800]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to include on its staff a certain number of experts in cybersecurity to perform certain duties; requiring the Commission to establish, in coordination with the Office of Security Management, cybersecurity standards and best practices for regulated entities, share information on cybersecurity initiatives and best practices with certain entities, collect certain certifications, and submit a certain report; requiring each public service company to report a cybersecurity incident to certain entities; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Katie Hester
Third Reading Passed (40-7) on 04/10/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program - Tier 1 Renewable Sources, Solar Energy Systems, and Alterations [SB-664]
Requiring the Maryland Energy Administration to require a person selling or leasing a Tier 1 renewable source to inform certain applicants for a grant, loan, or other form of financial assistance through the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Program of certain terms; authorizing the use of certain compliance fees paid into the Program to make certain loans and grants and establish certain programs to create new solar energy systems that are owned by or directly benefit low- and moderate-income residents; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Hearing 2/28 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/08/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Eligible Sources - Alterations (Reclaim Renewable Energy Act of 2023) [HB-718]
Altering the definitions of "qualifying biomass", "thermal biomass system", and "Tier 1 renewable source" for purposes of excluding energy derived from certain forest-related resources, animal manure, waste, and refuse and gas produced from the anaerobic decomposition of animal waste or poultry waste from being eligible for inclusion in the renewable energy portfolio standard.
Sponsored by: Rep. David Fraser-hidalgo
Hearing 3/09 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/10/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Offshore Wind Energy - State Goals and Procurement (Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources Act) [SB-781]
Requiring an application for any new qualified offshore wind project and a certain proposal for an offshore wind transmission facility to be subject to a certain community benefit agreement; requiring the Public Service Commission to request that PJM Interconnection conduct a certain analysis of transmission system upgrade and expansion options; altering the requirements for a certain report on offshore wind projects; requiring the Commission, by a certain date each year starting in 2024, to report on its Supplier Diversity Program; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 95 on 04/21/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Energy Storage – Targets and Maryland Energy Storage Program – Establishment [SB-697]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to establish certain targets for the deployment of new energy storage devices in the State; requiring the Commission to establish and implement the Maryland Energy Storage Program to meet certain energy storage goals and develop a certain energy storage system in the State; and requiring the Commission to report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2023, on pending designs for and any additional statutory changes required to fully implement the Maryland Energy Storage Program.
Sponsored by: Sen. Katie Hester
Third Reading Passed (36-11) on 04/06/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Service Commission – Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity – Local Permits [HB-692]
Establishing that a county or a municipal corporation has the authority to approve or deny any local permit required under a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Public Service Commission for generating stations, transmission lines, and qualified generator lead lines; requiring a county or municipal corporation to approve or deny the local permits in a certain manner; prohibiting a county or municipal corporation from conditioning the approval of the local permits on certain approvals; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Brian Crosby
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 515 on 05/08/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity - Local Permits [SB-489]
Establishing that a county or a municipal corporation has the authority to approve or deny any local permit required under a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Public Service Commission for generating stations, transmission lines, and qualified generator lead lines; requiring a county or municipal corporation to approve or deny the local permits within a reasonable time and to the extent local laws are not preempted by State law; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Benjamin Brooks
Third Reading Passed (37-10) on 04/10/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Utility Account Holders - Victims of Abuse - Protections [HB-630]
Authorizing an account holder who is the victim of abuse to terminate, and requiring a utility to allow for the termination of, the account holder's future liability under a utility contract if the account holder provides the utility with certain written notice requesting termination of the account holder's future liability under the contract; requiring a utility to allow an account holder who terminates a utility contract under the Act to open a new utility account notwithstanding a certain account balance or arrearage; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Pamela Queen
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 566 on 05/08/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Investor-Owned Utilities - Prevailing Wage - Enforcement [HB-513]
Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to enforce certain prevailing wage requirements for contractors and subcontractors working on projects involving and traffic control activities related to underground gas or electric infrastructure of an investor-owned gas company, electric company, or gas and electric company; requiring certain contractors and subcontractors to request from the Department a copy of a certain wage determination and ensure that employees are paid in compliance with existing prevailing wage rates; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Pamela Queen
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 336 on 05/03/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Solar Energy – Compliance Fees [HB-511]
Altering the compliance fee for a shortfall from the required percentage of energy from Tier 1 renewable sources to be derived from solar energy for the renewable energy portfolio standard beginning in 2025 and later.
Sponsored by: Rep. Pamela Queen
First Reading Economic Matters on 02/01/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Solar Energy - Compliance Fees [SB-357]
Altering the compliance fee for a shortfall from the required percentage of energy from Tier 1 renewable sources to be derived from solar energy for the renewable energy portfolio standard beginning in 2025 and later.
Sponsored by: Sen. Katherine Klausmeier
Hearing 2/14 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/01/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Street Lighting Equipment - Acquisitions and Reporting (County and Municipal Street Lighting Investment Act) [HB-459]
Finding that local governments pay electric companies large sums to light streets and are limited in how this public safety resource can be managed, the Act authorizes certain counties or municipalities to acquire certain street lighting equipment by purchase or condemnation, convert its street lighting service to a customer-owned street lighting tariff, enter into an agreement to purchase electricity, and contract with an electric company for the maintenance of the street lighting equipment; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Bonnie Cullison
Hearing 3/28 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/20/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Social Services Programs - Eligibility and Enrollment [HB-323]
Requiring the Office of Home Energy Programs to enroll households, based on certain eligibility, in any fuel and utility assistance program; and altering the eligibility requirements for the electric universal service program to provide assistance to customers with annual incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Sponsored by: Rep. Lorig Charkoudian
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 207 on 04/24/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Energy Generation Projects – Required Labor Standards [SB-170]
Requiring the developer of a covered project, on the approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of a certain generating station or qualified generator lead line or an exemption from a certain requirement for a certificate of public convenience and necessity, to meet certain labor standards and reporting requirements; establishing certain labor standards and certain certification, reporting, and record-keeping requirements related to the construction of a covered project; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Hearing 3/30 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/22/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Electricity - Net Energy Metering and Virtual Net Energy Metering - Accrual of Net Excess Generation (Net Metering Flexibility Act) [SB-143]
Authorizing a certain eligible customer-generator to accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period; requiring the Public Service Commission to establish a method for calculating the value of certain accrued net excess generation; and requiring that a subscriber of a community solar energy generating system accrue virtual net excess generation in the same manner as a certain eligible customer-generator.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 458 on 05/08/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing [SB-144]
Requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to procure or provide for electricity customers energy efficiency and conservation programs and services designed to achieve certain target annual incremental gross energy savings for the 2024-2026 program cycle; requiring the Department to update the weather-normalized gross retail sales against which savings are measured for certain plans; requiring the target annual incremental gross energy savings to be achieved based on an average of certain Department plans; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Brian Feldman
Vetoed By The Governor (duplicative) on 05/19/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing [HB-169]
Requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to procure or provide for electricity customers energy efficiency and conservation programs and services designed to achieve certain target annual incremental gross energy savings for the 2024-2026 program cycle; establishing the Green and Healthy Task Force to develop policy and statutory recommendations to eliminate barriers to low-income households achieving, energy-efficient, affordable, and low-emissions housing; requiring an annual report beginning July 1, 2024; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Lorig Charkoudian
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 572 on 05/08/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance [HB-111]
Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish an Express Lane Eligibility Program by January 1, 2025, to enroll individuals, based on certain eligibility, in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children's Health Program; and requiring the Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance to submit a final report to certain committees of the General Assembly by January 1, 2024, of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislative and regulatory changes.
Sponsored by: Rep. Anne Kaiser
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 283 on 05/03/2023
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Maryland 2023 Regular Session
Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance [SB-26]
Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish an Express Lane Eligibility Program by January 1, 2025, to enroll individuals, based on certain eligibility, in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children's Health Program; and requiring the Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance to submit a final report to certain committees of the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2024, of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislative and regulatory changes.
Sponsored by: Sen. Katie Hester
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 282 on 05/03/2023