Utility Regulation
Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Gas and Electric Companies - Deposit Charges [SB-1082]
Prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from imposing a specified deposit requirement on customers who are at least 65 years old and have an annual income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level; prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from terminating specified service for failure to pay all or part of a deposit under specified circumstances; and providing for the application of the Act.
Sponsored by: Sen. James Rosapepe
Unfavorable Report By Finance; Withdrawn on 03/23/2017
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Gettr Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Requirements - Standard Offer Service [SB-1043]
Requiring an electric company to contract for specified renewable energy credits and electricity generated from specified Tier 1 renewable sources to meet at least 25% of the renewable energy portfolio standard for the electricity that the electric company provides to specified customers beginning in 2018; requiring an electric company to solicit bids for a specified contract from specified renewable energy facilities; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. James Rosapepe
Hearing 3/21 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/21/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Task Force on Electric Power Grid Security [HB-1454]
Establishing the Task Force on Electric Power Grid Security; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving specified compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters; requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2018; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Neil Parrott
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/14/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Gas and Electric Companies - Deposit Charges [HB-1473]
Prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from imposing a specified deposit requirement on customers who are at least 65 years old and have an annual income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level; prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from terminating specified service for failure to pay all or part of a deposit under specified circumstances; and providing for the application of the Act.
Sponsored by: Rep. Herbert McMillan
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/14/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Cable Service - Broadband Connection Requirement - Enforcement [HB-1306]
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. Seth Howard
Hearing 4/05 At 1:00 P.m. on 04/05/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Telephone Companies - Wired Broadband (Wired Broadband Act of 2017) [HB-1313]
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 specified annual report and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 31 each year.
Sponsored by: Rep. Seth Howard
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/16/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Gas and Electricity - Smart Meters - Customer Rights and Required Reports [HB-1406]
Requiring a utility company to give specified written notice to specified customers prior to deploying smart meters throughout all or a portion of the utility company's service territory; prohibiting a utility company from imposing any additional fee or charge on a specified customer who refuses installation of a smart meter or requests removal of a smart meter; requiring the Public Service Commission and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to make specified reports regarding smart meters; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Joseph Vallario
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/18/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Gas and Electricity - Analog Meters - Purchase and Installation [HB-1419]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to authorize a customer of a gas company or an electric company to purchase and install an analog meter; requiring the meter to comply with specified standards; requiring a gas company or an electric company to install the meter or allow specified persons to install the meter at the customer's request; providing that an analog meter may replace a different type of meter; prohibiting a gas company or an electric company from requiring the customer to install additional controls; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Carolyn Howard
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/18/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Revisions [HB-1457]
Increasing the renewable energy portfolio standard percentage derived from Tier 1 renewable sources for specified years; increasing the minimum required percentage of Tier 1 renewable energy that must be derived from solar energy in the State's renewable energy portfolio standard for specified years; altering the calculation for determining the amount of credit that an electricity supplier receives toward meeting the renewable energy portfolio standard for energy derived from solar photovoltaic systems of specified sizes; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Luke Clippinger
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 03/14/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Residential Copper Landline Replacement - Moratorium and Study [HB-1221]
Prohibiting a telephone company that provides specified service from replacing specified copper landline service with optical fiber cable or Voice over Internet Protocol, subject to an exception; and requiring the Public Service Commission to report its findings and recommendations on specified matters to specified committees of the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2021.
Sponsored by: Rep. Carolyn Howard
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/15/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Solar Energy Grant Program - Energy Storage [HB-1395]
Providing that the Solar Energy Grant Program in the Maryland Energy Administration may award grants not to exceed specified amounts for the installed cost of specified energy storage equipment; adding grants for specified energy storage equipment to the purposes of the Program; defining "energy storage equipment"; and authorizing the Director of the Administration to designate specified equipment as energy storage equipment.
Sponsored by: Sen. Alonzo Washington
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters on 03/14/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Environment - Natural Gas and Oil Interest Restitution Fund [HB-1461]
Establishing the Natural Gas and Oil Interest Restitution Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; specifying the purpose of the Fund; requiring the Department of the Environment to administer the Fund; requiring the State Treasurer to hold the Fund and the Comptroller to account for the Fund; specifying the contents of the Fund; specifying the purpose for which the Fund may be used; requiring that a specified owner of a natural gas or oil interest make a specified demonstration in order to receive compensation from the Fund; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Haven Shoemaker
Unfavorable Report By Environment And Transportation; Withdrawn on 04/03/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Study [HB-1414]
Requiring the Power Plant Research Program to conduct a study on the renewable energy portfolio standard and related matters; requiring the study to be a comprehensive review of the history, implementation, overall costs and benefits, and effectiveness of the renewable energy portfolio standard in relation to the energy policies of the State; requiring State and local units to cooperate in the conduct of the study; requiring the Program to report to the Governor and specified committees of the General Assembly by specified dates; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Sally Jameson
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 393 on 05/04/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Requirements - Standard Offer Service [HB-1452]
Requiring an electric company to contract for specified renewable energy credits and electricity generated from Tier 1 renewable sources to meet at least 25% of the renewable energy portfolio standard for electricity that the electric company provides to specified customers beginning in 2018; requiring an electric company to solicit bids for a specified contract from specified renewable energy facilities; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Luke Clippinger
Unfavorable Report By Economic Matters; Withdrawn on 04/08/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Electricity - Construction of Overhead Transmission Lines - Condemnation Authority [HB-1308]
Authorizing a person to which a specified certificate of public convenience and necessity is issued for the construction of a specified overhead transmission line to acquire specified property or rights by condemnation; and applying the Act to the construction of an overhead transmission line for which a certificate of public convenience and necessity is required.
Sponsored by: Rep. Talmadge Branch
First Reading Senate Rules on 04/10/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity - Consistency With Comprehensive Plan [HB-1350]
Requiring the Public Service Commission, rather than the Department of Planning, to provide a copy of application materials for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to each specified unit of local government in which the construction of a generating station is proposed to be located and to specified public officials; requiring the Commission to take final action on the application only after due consideration of the consistency of the application with the jurisdiction's comprehensive plan and zoning; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kathy Afzali
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 392 on 05/04/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Service Commission - Out-of-State Carbon Pollution Program - Study [HB-1282]
Requiring the Public Service Commission to study and make recommendations about establishing a program to address carbon pollution attributed to electricity generated out-of-state but consumed within the State; requiring the Commission to study and make recommendations regarding establishing the program; requiring that the Commission solicit input from specified entities and organizations; requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2017; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mary Ann Lisanti
Hearing 3/09 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/09/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Connecting Rural Maryland Act of 2017 [HB-1169]
Establishing the Task Force on Rural Internet, Broadband, Wireless, and Cellular Service; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations on ways Western Maryland counties, Southern Maryland counties, Eastern Shore counties, and Frederick, Carroll, and Harford counties can work together to obtain federal assistance to improve communications services and accessibility in the specified counties; requiring the Task Force to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 30, 2017; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. C. William Frick
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 620 on 05/25/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Public Utilities - Telephone Lifeline Service - Revisions [HB-999]
Providing that a specified local telephone company provide "lifeline" to qualifying low-income consumers under specified circumstances; repealing a requirement that a telephone company charge an eligible subscriber a percentage of a specified tariff under specified circumstances; requiring the Department of Human Resources to provide specified information to local telephone companies to the extent allowed by State law in addition to federal law and until specified eligibility is determined; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dereck Davis
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 532 on 05/04/2017
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Maryland 2017 Regular Session
Electric Cooperatives - Rate Regulation - Fixed Charges for Distribution System Costs [HB-996]
Authorizing an electric cooperative to propose a fixed charge for specified fixed costs; requiring the fixed charge to be applied in a specified manner; prohibiting an electric cooperative from proposing an increase to a fixed charge that is more than $2.50 greater than the fixed charge in effect 1 year before the effective date of the proposed increase; specifying the manner in which an electric cooperative may propose a fixed charge; applying the Act prospectively; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Sally Jameson
Hearing 2/23 At 1:00 P.m. on 02/23/2017