reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-511 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-511 - Competitive Billing and Metering

    (a)    Except for electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities:        (1)    competitive billing shall begin on July 1, 2000;        (2)    competitive metering for large customers shall begin on January 1, 2002; and        (3)    competitive metering for all other customers shall begin on April 1, 2002, or earlier if requested by the electric company.    (b)    The Commission shall adopt regulations or issue orders to implement this section.    (c)    (1)    A person other than an electric company or a municipal electric utility may not engage in the business of competitive billing services in a local jurisdiction that assesses a local energy tax, unless the person holds a license issued by that jurisdiction.        (2)    An application for a local competitive billing services license shall be made in accordance with the requirements of the local jurisdiction.        (3)    (i)    A local jurisdiction may require an applicant or licensee to:                1.    hold a license issued by the Commission, as provided under § 7-507 of this subtitle;                2.    post a bond or other similar instrument in an amount equal to 15% of the bond required under § 7-507 of this subtitle; and                3.    have a resident agent in the State.            (ii)    A local jurisdiction may not require an applicant or licensee to pay a fee or other charge for the local license.    (d)    (1)    A local jurisdiction may revoke or suspend the local license if the licensee fails, within 15 days of the due date established by the local jurisdiction, to pay or remit all of the applicable local energy taxes on services.        (2)    A local jurisdiction may reinstate the license after payment of all local energy taxes due.        (3)    A local jurisdiction may choose not to reinstate a license that has been revoked or suspended 3 times in a 12-month period.        (4)    A local jurisdiction shall report any revocation or suspension of a license to the Commission.    (e)    The Commission shall adopt regulations or issue an order to establish procedures for the assumption of billing responsibilities by the electric company that distributes electricity in the relevant service territory if a local license is revoked or suspended.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-512 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-512 - Previously Unregulated Electric Companies

    (a)    This section and § 7-513 of this subtitle apply to an entity that was regulated as an electric company on June 30, 1999, whether or not the entity or any of its businesses, services, or assets continues to be regulated under this article after that date.    (b)    An electric company may recover costs under this section to the extent that the Commission finds costs to be just and reasonable.    (c)    (1)    An electric company shall be provided a fair opportunity to recover fully all costs that have been or will be incurred by the electric company under public purpose programs established by law or ordered by the Commission.        (2)    (i)    Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the costs subject to this subsection shall be funded by a surcharge or other cost recovery mechanism collected on a statewide basis that:                1.    fully recovers from customers the costs of the plans and programs; and                2.    subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, with respect to any of these costs not included in rates on January 1, 2000, is not subject to any otherwise applicable cap.            (ii)    The recovery by an electric company of costs for a universal service program is subject to any applicable cap regardless of when the costs are included in rates.        (3)    During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, an electric company may not, under paragraph (2) of this subsection, recover costs of a consumer education program established by law, regulation, or order.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-514 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-514 - Investigations of Anticompetitive Conduct

    (a)    (1)    On complaint or on its own motion, for good cause shown, the Commission may conduct an investigation of the retail electricity supply and electricity supply services markets and determine whether the function of one of these markets is being adversely affected by market power or any other anticompetitive conduct.        (2)    The Commission shall monitor the retail electricity supply and electricity supply services markets to ensure that the markets are not being adversely affected by market power or any other anticompetitive conduct.    (b)    If, as a result of an investigation conducted under this section, the Commission determines that market power or any other anticompetitive conduct in the relevant market under the Commission’s jurisdiction is preventing the electric customers in the State from obtaining the benefits of properly functioning retail electricity supply and electricity supply services markets, the Commission may take remedial actions within its authority to address the impact of the market power or any other anticompetitive conduct activities.    (c)    The Commission shall include antitrust principles in performing its analysis under this section.    (d)    The Commission shall cooperate with and share information with the Antitrust Division of the Office of the Attorney General.    (e)    The rights and remedies provided in this section supplement any other rights or remedies that may exist under State or federal law or common law.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-515 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-515 - Interstate Competition

    An electricity supplier that also provides distribution service, or that has an affiliate that provides distribution service, in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, or the District of Columbia may not provide retail electricity supply service, directly, indirectly, or through an aggregator, marketer, or broker, in the distribution territory of an unaffiliated electric company unless there is electricity supply competition in at least a portion of the distribution service area of the electricity supplier or affiliate.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-516 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-516 - Transition Procedures

    (a)    (1)    In recognition of the potential environmental impacts of restructuring the electric industry, it is the intent of the General Assembly to minimize the effects of electric restructuring on the environment.        (2)    Electric companies in Maryland shall conduct a study that tracks shifts in generation and emissions as a result of restructuring the electric industry.        (3)    The study shall be submitted to the Department of the Environment and the Commission one year after the initial date of implementation of customer choice.        (4)    Electric companies in Maryland shall update the study twice and submit each updated study to the Department of the Environment and the Commission on or before December 31, 2003 and on or before December 31, 2005.    (b)    If, after review of the study required under subsection (a) of this section, the Department of the Environment determines that the emissions levels impose a higher emission burden in Maryland, the Department of the Environment, in consultation with the Commission, shall study the appropriateness, constitutionality, and feasibility of establishing an air quality surcharge or other mechanism to protect Maryland’s environment in connection with the implementation of customer choice of electricity suppliers.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-517 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part II - Electric Industry Restructuring Enabled|Section 7-517 - Short Title

    This subtitle may be referred to as the “Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act of 1999”.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-521 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-521 - Applicability

    This part applies to an electric company that:         (1)    has an obligation to provide standard offer service to residential electricity customers in accordance with § 7-510(c) of this subtitle; and        (2)    is not subject to a rate cap or price freeze under § 7-505(d) of this subtitle during the period for which a rate stabilization plan is requested under this part.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-522 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-522 - Filing Rate Stabilization Plan

    (a)    An electric company subject to this part may file a rate stabilization plan with the Commission for approval.    (b)    The rate stabilization plan may include both short-term and long-term deferrals of incremental expenses of electricity supplies.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-523 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-523 - Deferrals

    (a)    The Commission may require that a deferral of expenses under a rate stabilization plan be either voluntary or mandatory if the Commission finds that the required type of deferral is in the public interest.    (b)    The rate stabilization plan may provide that a deferral shall be secured through the issuance of rate stabilization bonds authorized by a qualified rate order under this part.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-524 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-524 - Tariffs Implementing Rate Stabilization Plan; Application for Qualified Rate Order

    (a)    Tariffs implementing a rate stabilization plan may provide that:        (1)    residential customers shall be charged the full cost of residential standard offer service necessary to recover the electric company’s costs under § 7- 510(c)(3) of this subtitle; and        (2)    any credits or recoveries required or authorized under this part shall be reflected as nonbypassable credits or charges on the electric distribution portion of each residential customer’s bill.    (b)    As part of the submission of a rate stabilization plan, an electric company may apply to the Commission for a qualified rate order for the financing and recovery of its approved rate stabilization costs in accordance with this part.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-525 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-525 - Recovery of Actual Cost of Deferred Expenses

    (a)    The Commission may authorize an electric company to recover, as additional rate stabilization costs, the actual cost to the electric company of carrying the deferred expenses as regulatory assets under short-term and long-term deferral plans.    (b)    The actual cost is equal to the deferred expenses as regulatory assets multiplied by the electric company’s cost of debt.    (c)    If the electric company secures the debt in accordance with this part, the cost of the secured debt is substituted for the electric company’s cost of debt.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-526 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-526 - Application for Qualified Rate Order

    (a)    An electric company may apply to the Commission for a qualified rate order for the financing and recovery of its rate stabilization costs.    (b)    On application of an electric company, the Commission may adopt a qualified rate order if the Commission finds that the total amount of revenue to be collected under the qualified rate order is less than the rate stabilization costs revenue that would be recovered over the same period using the electric company’s weighted average cost of capital.    (c)    The rate stabilization costs to be financed and recovered under a qualified rate order may be reduced by funds contributed from other sources.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-527 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-527 - Order to Include Costs and Recovery Time Period

    (a)    The qualified rate order shall set forth the rate stabilization costs to be recovered and the period over which the nonbypassable qualified rate stabilization charges shall be recovered.    (b)    The recovery period may not exceed 12 years.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-528 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-528 - Effectiveness and Irrevocability; Review

    (a)    A qualified rate order shall become effective in accordance with its terms.    (b)    After a qualified rate order becomes effective, the qualified rate order and the qualified rate stabilization charges authorized in the qualified rate order are irrevocable and are not subject to reduction, impairment, or adjustment by further action of the Commission except in accordance with §§ 7-531, 7-533, and 7-534 of this subtitle.    (c)    (1)    A qualified rate order is not subject to rehearing by the Commission.        (2)    A qualified rate order may be reviewed by appeal only to the Circuit Court of Baltimore City by a party to the proceeding filed within 15 days after the qualified rate order is signed by the Commission.        (3)    The judgment of the circuit court may be reviewed only by direct appeal to the Court of Appeals of Maryland filed within 15 days after entry of judgment.        (4)    All appeals shall be heard and determined by the circuit court and by the Court of Appeals of Maryland as expeditiously as possible with lawful precedence over other matters.        (5)    Review on appeal shall be based solely on the record before the Commission and briefs to the courts and shall be limited to whether the qualified rate order conforms to the Constitution and laws of this State and the United States and is within the authority of the Commission under this subtitle.        (6)    The review process in this subsection shall be the exclusive remedy to challenge or review a qualified rate order.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-529 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-529 - Time Limit for Commission's Decision

    The Commission shall make a final decision on the issuance of a qualified rate order under this part no later than 60 days after the electric company files its request for the qualified rate order.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-530 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-530 - Qualified Rate Stabilization Charges -- Imposition and Collection Are Nonbypassable

    A qualified rate order approved by the Commission shall include terms ensuring that the imposition and collection of qualified rate stabilization charges authorized in the order are nonbypassable.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-531 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-531 - Commission to Establish Procedures and Time Frames for Review

    The Commission shall establish specific procedures and time frames for the review and adjustment of qualified rate stabilization charges at least once each year, within 90 days before the anniversary date of the issuance of the rate stabilization bonds, to correct any overcollections or undercollections of the preceding 12 months and to ensure the expected recovery of amounts sufficient to timely provide all payments of debt service and other required amounts and charges in connection with the rate stabilization bonds.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-532 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-532 - Termination, Expiration, and Extension of Orders

    (a)    A qualified rate order shall terminate and expire 1 year after the date of its adoption if, during that period, no rate stabilization bonds authorized in the qualified rate order shall have been issued.    (b)    This period shall be extended by any period during which judicial proceedings for review may be pending in accordance with § 7-528(c) of this subtitle.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-533 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-533 - Retiring and Refunding Bonds

    (a)    At the request of an electric company, the Commission may adopt a qualified rate order providing for retiring and refunding rate stabilization bonds if the Commission finds that the future qualified rate stabilization charges required to service the new rate stabilization bonds, including transaction costs, will be less than the future qualified rate stabilization charges required to service the rate stabilization bonds being refunded.    (b)    On the retirement of the refunded rate stabilization bonds, the Commission shall adjust the related qualified rate stabilization charges accordingly.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-534 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-534 - Modified or Additional Qualified Rate Orders

    (a)    At the request of an electric company, the Commission may modify an existing qualified rate order, or issue an additional qualified rate order, providing for the issuance of:        (1)    additional rate stabilization bonds for rate stabilization costs not recovered under an original qualified rate order; or        (2)    new rate stabilization bonds for the combined purposes of:            (i)    financing and recovering rate stabilization costs not recovered under an original qualified rate order; and            (ii)    subject to § 7-533 of this subtitle, retiring and refunding existing rate stabilization bonds.    (b)    Unless otherwise provided in the modified or additional qualified rate order or in the trust agreement securing the additional or new rate stabilization bonds, the additional or new rate stabilization bonds are:        (1)    considered to be of the same issue as the original issue; and        (2)    entitled to payment from the same funds as the original issue, without preference or priority of the rate stabilization bonds of the original issue.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-535 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-535 - Bond Not Debt, Liability, or Pledge of State or Governmental Unit

    (a)    A rate stabilization bond issued under this part is not a debt, liability, or a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State or any other governmental unit.    (b)    The issuance of a rate stabilization bond under this part is not directly, indirectly, or contingently a moral or other obligation of the State or any other governmental unit to levy or pledge any tax or to make an appropriation to pay the rate stabilization bond.    (c)    Each rate stabilization bond issued under this part shall state on its face that:        (1)    the State and any governmental unit are not obliged to pay the principal of or interest on the bond; and        (2)    neither the full faith and credit nor the taxing power of the State or any other governmental unit is pledged to the payment of the principal of or interest on a rate stabilization bond.    (d)    (1)    The State pledges, for the benefit and protection of financing parties and the electric company, that it will not take or allow any action that would impair the value of rate stabilization property, or, except as allowed in accordance with §§ 7-531, 7-533, and 7-534 of this subtitle, reduce, alter, or impair the qualified rate stabilization charges to be imposed, collected, and remitted to financing parties, until the principal, interest, and premium, and any other charges incurred and contracts to be performed in connection with the related rate stabilization bonds have been paid and performed in full.        (2)    Any party issuing rate stabilization bonds is authorized to include this pledge in any documentation relating to those bonds.
MD. Public Utilities Code Ann. §  7-536 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Public Utilities|Division I - Public Services and Utilities|Title 7 - Gas, Electric, and Water Companies|Subtitle 5 - Electric Industry Restructuring|Part III - Rate Stabilization|Section 7-536 - Permissible Provisions of Order

    A qualified rate order under this part that authorizes the issuance of rate stabilization bonds may:         (1)    state the rights and remedies of bondholders and any assignee; and        (2)    contain provisions to protect and enforce the rights and remedies of bondholders and any assignee.