Business Regulation - Sale of Motor Fuel - Pricing Signage

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0303*

SENATE BILL 303
C2 6lr0810
CF HB 344
By: Senator Kagan
Introduced and read first time: January 21, 2026
Assigned to: Finance

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Business Regulation – Sale of Motor Fuel – Pricing Signage 2

FOR the purpose of altering the requirements for certain signs of motor fuel prices at retail 3
service stations; authorizing the Comptroller to assess certain penalties under 4
certain circumstances; and generally relating to motor fuel price signs at retail 5
service stations. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Business Regulation 8
Section 10–315 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Business Regulation 14

10–315. 15

(a) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17

(2) “CONDITIONAL PRICE” MEANS A PRICE THAT I S AVAILABLE TO A 18
CUSTOMER ONLY IF A CONDITION IS MET , INCLUDING A SERVICE LEVEL , 19
ENROLLMENT IN A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, A REQUIRED PURCHASE, A PAYMENT 20
METHOD, OR ANY OTHER CONDITION MODIFYING THE STANDARD PRICE. 21

(3) “STANDARD PRICE” MEANS THE OFFERING PRICE AVAILABLE TO 22
ALL CUSTOMERS WITHOUT CONDITIONS. 23
2 SENATE BILL 303

(B) This section supersedes any inconsistent provision of local law. 1

[(b)] (C) A person who sells motor fuel at retail shall display signs in accordance 2
with this section. 3

[(c)] (D) (1) All dispensing equipment for motor fuel shall be marked 4
conspicuously to show in numerals of equal size the price, including taxes, of a gallon of the 5
motor fuel offered for sale. 6

(2) If numerals that show a fractional cent are used, the combined height 7
and width of the numerator and denominator shall equal the height and width of the other 8
numerals used. 9

(E) (1) (I) EACH RETAIL SERVICE S TATION DEALER SHALL KEEP A 10
SIGN ON THE PREMISES THAT: 11

1. PROMINENTLY DISPLAYS CLEARLY AND VISIBLY THE 12
STANDARD PRICE FOR A WHOLE MEASUREMENT UNIT OF REGULAR GASOLINE SOLD 13
ON THE PREMISES; 14

2. STATES THE UNIT OF MEASUREMENT USED; AND 15

3. IS READABLE BY PASSING MOTORISTS. 16

(II) A SIGN UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH 17
MAY PROMINENTLY DISP LAY CLEARLY AND VISI BLY THE STANDARD PRICE FOR A 18
WHOLE MEASUREMENT UNIT OF DIESEL AND OTHER MOTOR FUEL PRODUCTS SOLD 19
ON THE PREMISES. 20

(III) IF A SIGN REQUIRED UNDER SUBPA RAGRAPH (I) OF THIS 21
PARAGRAPH DISPLAYS A CONDITIONAL PRICE, THE CONDITIONAL PRICE MAY NOT 22
BE DISPLAYED MORE PROMINENTLY THAN THE STANDARD PRICE. 23

(2) ALL NUMERALS ON A SIGN SHALL: 24

(I) BE UNIFORM; 25

(II) BE THE SAME SIZE; 26

(III) BE AT LEAST 8 INCHES HIGH AND 3.5 INCHES WIDE; AND 27

(IV) HAVE A BRUSH STROKE OF AT LEAST 1 INCH. 28

SENATE BILL 303 3

(3) A NUMERAL IN A FRACTION OR A LETTER ON A PRICING SIGN OR 1
OTHER MEANS SHALL BE AT LEAST ON E–THIRD THE HEIGHT OF A NUMERAL THAT 2
INDICATES A WHOLE NUMBER. 3

(4) IF A NEW SIGN IS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THIS SUBSECTION, 4
THE SUPPLIER OF THE GASOLINE SHALL PROVI DE THE SIGN AND NUME RALS 5
WITHOUT COST TO THE RETAIL SERVICE STATION DEALER. 6

[(d)] (F) (1) A sign or other means on the premises and approaches to a retail 7
outlet that advertises the retail price of motor fuel: 8

(i) may list the price and each tax separately if the listing of the 9
total of the price and all taxes is the same size as the separate listing of the price; but 10

(ii) shall list the total of the price and all taxes by numerals of 11
uniform size. 12

(2) In the listing of the total of the price and all taxes, a denominator need 13
not be used to indicate a fraction, but: 14

(i) if a denominator is used, the numerator and denominator 15
combined shall be the same size as the numeral that indicates the whole number; or 16

(ii) if a denominator is not used, the numerator shall be the same 17
size as the numeral that indicates the whole number. 18

[(e)] (G) If the retail price of motor fuel is advertised on a sign or by other means 19
on the premises of and approaches to the retail outlet, the grade designation displayed for 20
any motor fuel in the advertisement shall be the same as the grade designation that is 21
required to be displayed for that motor fuel on the retail dispensing pump as specified by 22
the Comptroller. 23

[(f) (1) (i) Each retail service station dealer shall keep a sign on the 24
premises that: 25

1. prominently displays clearly and visibly, for a whole 26
measurement unit of regular gasoline sold on the premises: 27

A. the credit and debit price, if higher than the cash price; or 28

B. the credit and debit price and the cash price; 29

2. states the unit of measurement used; and 30

3. is readable by passing motorists. 31

4 SENATE BILL 303

(ii) The sign required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph also 1
may prominently display clearly and visibly, for a whole measurement unit of diesel and 2
other motor fuel products sold on the premises: 3

1. the credit and debit price, if higher than the cash price; or 4

2. the credit and debit price and the cash price. 5

(2) All numerals on the sign shall: 6

(i) be uniform; 7

(ii) be the same size; 8

(iii) be at least 8 inches high and 3.5 inches wide; and 9

(iv) have a brush stroke of at least 1 inch. 10

(3) A numeral in a fraction or a letter shall be at least one–third the height 11
of a numeral that indicates a whole number. 12

(4) If a new or additional sign is required to comply with this subsection, 13
the supplier of the gasoline shall provide the sign and numerals without cost to the retail 14
service station dealer.] 15

[(g)] (H) A sign required at a service station by this section or any other State or 16
federal law is exempt from the provisions of a local law, ordinance, or regulation for the 17
purpose of determining: 18

(1) the total number of signs permitted; and 19

(2) the area of signs permitted. 20

(I) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 21
COMPTROLLER MAY ASSESS AGAINST A PERSON THAT VIOLATES THIS SECTION: 22

(I) FOR THE FIRST VIOLATION, A FINE OF UP TO $100; AND 23

(II) FOR A SECOND OR SUBS EQUENT VIOLATION, A FINE OF UP 24
TO THE AMOUNT OF THE MAXIMUM FINE UNDER ITEM (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH 25
MULTIPLIED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS. 26

(2) PRIOR TO ASSESSING A FINE UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 27
SUBSECTION, THE COMPTROLLER SHALL: 28

SENATE BILL 303 5

(I) ISSUE A WRITTEN WARN ING TO THE PERSON EXPLAINING 1
THE VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; 2

(II) PROVIDE THE PERSON A REASONABLE OPPORTU NITY IN 3
THE COMPTROLLER’S DISCRETION TO CURE THE VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION; AND 4

(III) CONSIDER: 5

1. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE VIOLATION; 6

2. THE HARM CAUSED BY THE VIOLATION; 7

3. THE GOOD FAITH OF THE PERSON; AND 8

4. ANY HISTORY OF PREVI OUS VIOLATIONS BY TH E 9
PERSON. 10

(3) THE COMPTROLLER SHALL PAY ANY FINE COLLECTED UNDER 11
THIS SUBSECTION INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE. 12

(4) AN INDIVIDUAL MAY REPORT A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION TO 13
THE COMPTROLLER USING A PROCESS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMPTROLLER. 14

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 15
1, 2026. 16