SPONSORED BILLS
AND
HOUSE ECONOMIC MATTERS COMMITTEE BILLS
(select a Bill below)
House Bill 754 - The Children and Working
Families Healthcare
Act of 2007
Introduced on February 7, 2007, is the most comprehensive health insurance
reform in Maryland in over a decade.
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House Bill 391 -Labor and Employment - Minimum Wage - Increase
This bill requires replaces the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour with
a State minimum wage of $6.15 per hour. The bill also increases the wage
rate required to be paid to tipped employees from $2.38 per hour to $3.08
per hour.
The bill’s original effective date was January 1, 2006. If passed by both
houses, it will take effect 30 days from the date of final passage.
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House Bill 1308 Electricity Regulation - Renewable Energy Portfolio
Standard and Credit Trading - Maryland Renewable Energy Fund
As amended, this bill requires the implementation of a renewable energy
portfolio standard, a Maryland Renewable Energy Fund, and a renewable energy
credit trading system. The bill repeals requirements that an electric
company must continue to purchase electricity under any contract in effect
on January 1, 1999 with a renewable resource facility located in the State
and that an investor-owned electric company continue to provide at least the
same percentage of electricity from available renewable resources that was
provided in 1998.
more... (Finance
Information)
House Bill 1714-Public Service Commission - Postemployment
Restrictions
As amended, House Bill 1714 is an emergency bill that adds specified former
PSC officials/employees to the list of personnel of the PSC and the People’s
Counsel of the Office of the People’s Counsel that may not: (1) represent a
public service company before PSC; (2) appear before PSC on behalf of a
party to a proceeding; or (3) appear before PSC on a matter within PSC’s
jurisdiction. A 1-year limitation is newly applied to the PSC executive
director, executive secretary, and a director of a PSC staff division.
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House Bill 1713-Public Service Companies - Mergers, Acquisitions, and
Financing
As amended, House Bill 1713 establishes in statute specific criteria for
evaluating the acquisition of an electric company or gas company by another
person. The bill updates several existing provisions on PSC approval of
acquisitions and stock and debt issuances by public service companies. The
bill also establishes, for a limited time, an Office of Special Counsel to
review the proposed merger between Constellation Energy Group and FPL Group
and make recommendations to the General Assembly.
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House Bill 1525-Electric Industry Restructuring - Standard Offer
Service
As amended, House Bill 1525 extends an electric company’s obligation to
provide standard offer service (SOS) unless the Public Service Commission (PSC)
finds that the electricity supply market is competitive. The bill requires
that any “return” provided to an electric company be consistent with the
level of risk in procuring or providing electricity. PSC must reexamine the
finding regarding whether the market is competitive at least every 2 years.
Under an extension of SOS, PSC must order each investor-owned electric
company to obtain its electricity supply for residential and small
commercial customers through a competitive process that is designed to
obtain the best price, in light of market conditions, at the time of
procurement and the need to protect customers from excessive price
increases.
more... (Finance
Information)