It’s no secret that utility bills are at an all time high in Maryland, and are only set to increase. With the rising costs, families have been forced to choose between heating their homes and food, medicine, and other basic needs. Thousands of Baltimore City households experienced BGE shutoffs in 2024. Meanwhile, our monopoly utilities are using the money they collect from your monthly bills to fund their lobbying and advertisements. They’ve even attempted to charge ratepayers for their retirement gifts.

This lavish spending benefits them, not you. The ratepayer pays the bill, the utility companies reap the rewards. This needs to stop. Marylanders shouldn’t foot the bill for unnecessary spending. HB960, the Ratepayer Freedom Act, sponsored by Delegate Andre Johnson will put a stop to these spending sprees.

This bill:

• Clarifies what expenses utilities can charge to ratepayers. Prevents utilities from charging customers for political spending and ads that don’t benefit consumers.
• Expands transparency. Require transparency reports from utilities to the Public Service Commission (PSC) so we can see exactly how the money is being spent.
• Saves ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, allowing those funds to be better used for affordable utility services.

With the crossover deadline looming, we need YOU to contact your Maryland Delegate on the Economic Matters Committee and let them know that this bill matters to their constituents. Please contact your legislators on the committee and ask them to put HB960 on a voting list and vote YES!

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