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Two Bills Introduced That Could Threaten Retail Choice
Category: Maryland
Related Categories: Consumer Protections, Electric, Electric Competition, Gas, HB0267, Legislation, SB0001, Supplier
In a serious blow to the future potential of the Maryland market, two bills as introduced would require numerous changes to the rules governing retail electric and natural gas choice, including:
- requiring individual salespersons to be licensed and bonded;
- providing additional authority to the MDPSC to deny, revoke, or refuse to renew a supplier or salesperson license;
- allowing electric utilities to market Standard Offer Service to customers;
- limiting electric supplier offers to a price that does not exceed the trailing 12–month average of the electric utility’s Standard Offer Service rate as of the date of agreement with the customer;
- restricting the term and renewal provisions of supplier offers to a maximum term not to exceed 12 months at a time, without automatic renewal;
- allowing variable rates to only adjust twice a year;
- prohibiting a retail supplier from paying a commission or other incentive–based compensation to an energy salesperson for enrolling customers;
- banning early termination or cancellation fees;
- ending purchase of receivables;
- banning shopping by low-income customers; and more.
