Maryland General Assembly

I took a brief hiatus from blogging over the holidays and enjoyed a short vacation. Now with the new year upon us, I intend to reinvigorate this blog and hopefully turn itself into something more useful for those in the construction industry. I am also working on a construction law website which I intend to roll out later this year.

The Maryland General Assembly is now in session, as of yesterday. I am going to track and comment on some bills which have been introduced in the House or Senate which might affect the construction and real estate industries. This might not be inclusive as things change frequently.

SB 23- Relating to Green Energy
Senator Mooney
ENERGY COMPANIES – NET ENERGY METERING – CREDIT TRANSFERS
Authorizing specified not–for–profit customers to transfer all renewable energy generation credits from net energy metering to specified properties; and requiring the Public Service Commission to adopt specified regulations.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2010
PUC, § 7-306(a) and (i) - amended and § 7-306(i) - added
Assigned to: Finance

SB 50-Relating to Green Energy
Senator Mooney
ELECTRIC COMPANIES – NET ENERGY METERING
Repealing a limitation on the period of time that a specified eligible customer–generator may accrue specified generation credit; repealing a limitation on the time that a specified electric company is required to carry forward a generation credit or a negative kilowatt–hour reading; requiring a specified electric company to carry forward a specified generation credit until specified events occur; etc.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2010
PUC, § 7-306 - amended
Assigned to: Finance

SB 103- Landscape Architects
STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS – SUNSET EXTENSION AND PROGRAM EVALUATION
Continuing the State Board of Examiners of Landscape Architects in accordance with the provisions of the Maryland Program Evaluation Act (sunset law) by extending to July 1, 2024 the termination provisions relating to specified statutory and regulatory authority of the Board; requiring that an evaluation of the Board and the statutes and regulations that relate to the Board be performed on or before July 1, 2023; and requiring the Board to submit a specified report on or before October 1, 2011.

HB 29
Delegate Braveboy
REAL PROPERTY – CONDOMINIUMS AND HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS – PRIORITY OF LIENS
Establishing that, in a foreclosure sale of a condominium unit or a lot in a homeowners association, a portion of a contract lien consisting of not more than 6 months of specified unpaid assessments, including attorney’s fees or specified costs, has priority over the claim of the holder of a first mortgage or deed of trust recorded against the unit or lot after October 1, 2010 under specified circumstances; establishing that a lot owner in a homeowners association is liable for specified assessments and charges; etc.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2010
RP, § 11-110(d) -

HB 42
Delegate Conaway
REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS – KNOWLEDGE OF VALUE OF REAL ESTATE – PROHIBITED
Prohibiting specified real estate appraisers from providing real estate appraisal services under specified circumstances in which the specified real estate appraisers know the asking price or the selling price of the real estate being appraised; providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a misdemeanor; and establishing penalties.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2010
BOP, § 16-705.2 - added and § 16-706 - amended
Assigned to: Economic Matters

HB 64
Delegate McConkey
REAL PROPERTY – RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGES AND DEEDS OF TRUST – FORECLOSURE SALES
Creating a rebuttable presumption that a foreclosure sale of specified residential real property is invalid if the sale begins more than 30 minutes after the scheduled time for the sale.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2010
RP, § 7-105 - amended
Assigned to: Environmental Matters

HB 80
Chair, Economic Matters Committee (By Request – Departmental – Labor, Licensing and Regulation)
STATE BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS
Requiring the State Board of Professional Engineers to adopt regulations to require a demonstration of continuing professional competency for a licensee as a condition of renewal of a license subject to specified exceptions; authorizing the Board to issue a retired status license to specified individuals; prohibiting the holder of a retired status license from practicing professional engineering; authorizing the holder of a retired status license to use a specified designation; etc.
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010
BOP, § 14-314 - amended and § 14-316 - added
Assigned to: Economic Matters

HB 84
Chair, Economic Matters Committee (By Request – Departmental – Labor, Licensing and Regulation)
STATE BOARD OF HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR–CONDITIONING, AND REFRIGERATION CONTRACTORS – MEMBERSHIP
Increasing the number of members of the State Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air–Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors to include two additional contractor members; and requiring that the two additional Board members be appointed without regard to geographic region or location in the State.
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010
BR, § 9A-202 - amended
Assigned to: Economic Matters

It's still early and surely there are more to come.

Click the link above to go to the MGA website. If you have any questions, let me know.