Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0967*
HOUSE BILL 967
C5, M5 6lr1861
By: Delegates Buckel, Pippy, Adams, Anderson, Arentz, Baker, Beauchamp,
Chisholm, Ciliberti, Ghrist, Griffith, Hartman, Hinebaugh, Hornberger,
Hutchinson, Jacobs, Kipke, R. Long, Mangione, McComas, Metzgar, Miller,
T. Morgan, Nkongolo, Reilly, Rose, Schmidt, Stonko, Tomlinson, Valentine,
and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Electric Companies – Environmental Surcharges or Fees – Prohibition on 2
Collection 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting an electric company from collecting certain environmental 4
surcharges or fees under certain circumstances ; requiring the Public Service 5
Commission to make a certain calculation each year related to the change in 6
residential electric bills ; and generally relating to the collection of environmental 7
surcharges or fees by electric companies. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Public Utilities 10
Section 7–109 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Public Utilities 16
7–109. 17
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 18
INDICATED. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 967
(2) “CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS” MEANS 1
THE INDEX PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS OF THE 2
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR A SUCCESSOR INDEX THAT IS THE U.S. CITY 3
AVERAGE OF ALL ITEMS IN A BASKET OF CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES. 4
(3) (I) “ENVIRONMENTAL SURCHARGE OR FEE” MEANS A CHARGE 5
AUTHORIZED OR REQUIR ED UNDER STATE LAW , REGULATION, OR COMMISSION 6
ORDER THAT IS COLLECTED BY AN ELECTRIC COMPANY FROM ITS CUSTOMERS FOR 7
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES. 8
(II) “ENVIRONMENTAL SURCHARGE OR FEE” INCLUDES: 9
1. A SURCHARGE IMPOSED UNDER § 7–222(D)(2) OF 10
THIS TITLE; 11
2. A SURCHARGE IMPOSED UNDER § 7–704.2(A)(4) OF 12
THIS TITLE; AND 13
3. THE RECOVERY OF COMPLIANCE FEES UNDER § 7–706 14
OF THIS TITLE. 15
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN ENVIRONM ENTAL SURCHARGE 16
OR FEE IMPOSED UNDER: 17
(1) § 7–203 OF THIS TITLE; 18
(2) § 7–1220 OF THIS TITLE; OR 19
(3) § 7–1226 OF THIS TITLE. 20
(C) (1) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2027, AND EACH OCTOBER 1 21
THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSION SHALL CALCULATE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH 22
PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION: 23
(I) THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN THE CONSUMER PRICE 24
INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS FOR THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS ENDING 25
JUNE 30 OF THAT YEAR; AND 26
(II) THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL 27
ELECTRICITY BILL FOR THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS ENDING JUNE 30 OF THAT 28
YEAR. 29
(2) THE COMMISSION SHALL CALCULATE: 30
HOUSE BILL 967 3
(I) THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN THE CONSUMER PRICE 1
INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS BY COMPARING THE AVERAGE OF THE INDEX 2
FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING ON THE PRECEDING JUNE 30 TO THE AVERAGE OF THE 3
INDEX FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING ON THE SECOND PRECEDING JUNE 30; AND 4
(II) THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL 5
ELECTRICITY BILL BY COMPARING THE WEI GHTED AVERAGE OF RES IDENTIAL 6
ELECTRICITY BILLS FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING ON THE PRECEDING JUNE 30 TO 7
THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY BILLS FOR THE 12 MONTHS 8
ENDING ON THE SECOND PRECEDING JUNE 30. 9
(D) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, IF THE 10
COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN THE AVERAG E 11
RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC ITY BILL EXCEEDED THE PERCENT AGE GROWTH IN THE 12
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS IN A GIVEN YEAR, AN 13
ELECTRIC COMPANY MAY NOT COLLECT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL SURCHA RGES OR 14
FEES DURING THE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING YEAR. 15
(E) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 16
SECTION. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2026. 19