Bill Positions

Bill Number: SB 661

Bill Title: Public Service Commission - Competitive Electricity and Gas Supplier Referral Program

Bill Sponsor(s): Sen. Klausmeier

Subject: Environment & Energy

Committee: FIN

Bill Summary: This bill would have required the Public Service Commission to establish a Competitive Electricity and Gas Supplier Referral Program on or before October 1, 2010. Under the referral program, each electric company and each gas company would have been required to provide notice to eligible new customers about options for seeking competitive natural gas or electricity supply. Electric and gas companies would have been required to periodically send existing customers instructions on how to switch to a competitive supplier and provide a list of participating suppliers. Participating suppliers would have been required to offer an introductory discount for eligible customers. The bill established various requirements on electric companies, gas companies, and participating suppliers.

History: This bill received an UNF report by the Senate Finance Committee.

Chamber Position: Oppose

Position Summary: The Maryland Chamber supports efforts that would enable retail energy suppliers access to specified customer account information and those that would require the Public Service Commission to educate customers about customer choice options; however, this bill was overly aggressive and pushed customer choice in a way that the system and electric and gas companies are not yet prepared to do.

This bill would have essentially created an introductory program that would encourage customers to move from utility companies to energy suppliers. Again, the Chamber supports customer choice and retail competition; however, the process should proceed in a more measured and thoughtful manner. Before instituting such an aggressive program, customers should become educated about their options. For these reasons, the Maryland Chamber opposed the bill.

Position Statement: To view the Chamber's complete position statement, click here (pdf).

Chamber Staff: Allyson Black

General Assembly: Click here to view the bill on the Maryland General Assembly's website.