HB 179

Did not advance

Department of Commerce - Complaint Portal and Annual Report

Sponsor: Joe Vogel (District 17)Committee: Economic MattersSubject: Local Government - GenerallyStatus: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Economic Matters) (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Department of Commerce to create and maintain a complaint portal for reporting when a governmental unit takes longer than 60 days to process an application for a license, form, certificate, certification, permit, or registration for a business or nonprofit organization; and requiring the Department, by September 15, 2026, and each September 15 thereafter, to submit an annual report to certain committees of the General Assembly on the complaints filed through the portal.

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Testimony (16)

MGA witness list

FAV 10FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 2UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
FAV	Middleton, Graysonlobbyist	Delmarva Chicken Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bevan-Dangel, Jenniferlobbyist	Economic Action Maryland Fund	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rose, Angela	Harford County Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Price, Sarahlobbyist	Maryland Retailers Alliance	Written (PDF)
FAV	Vogel, Joe	Office of Delegate Joe Vogel	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	(MD), State of Maryland	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Vogel, Delegate Vogellegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Anderson, Karrington	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FWA	Hessler, Thereselobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Westervelt, Patricia	Maryland Department of Transportation	Written (PDF)
INFO	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
INFO	Themelis, Nina	Mayor's Office of Government Relations	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Concerned CitizenFAV 1

Delmarva Chicken AssociationFAV 1

Economic Action Maryland FundFAV 1

Harford County Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)UNF 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Maryland Department of TransportationINFO 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Retailers AllianceFAV 1

Maryland State Department of EducationINFO 1

Mayor's Office of Government RelationsINFO 1

Office of Delegate Joe VogelFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMiddleton, GraysonDelmarva Chicken AssociationRegistered for: Delmarva Chicken Association

FAVBevan-Dangel, JenniferEconomic Action Maryland FundRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Humane Society of the United States; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Humane World for Animals

FAVWiggins, GrasonMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.; Madison Marquette Property Investments LLC; Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; Family Tree, The; OVG Facilities…

FAVPrice, SarahMaryland Retailers AllianceRegistered for: Maryland Retailers Alliance; Maryland Retailers Association

FWAHessler, ThereseRegistered for: City of Gaithersburg; Elevate Recovery Centers; Evolve Kids Care; Evolve Life Centers; High Roller Technologies; Laila's Gift…