HB 958

Did not advance

Natural Gas – Connection and Line Extension – Discounts and Payment Plans

Sponsor: Jason C. Buckel (District 1B)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Utility RegulationStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:30 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting the Public Service Commission from adopting or enforcing a regulation or order that prohibits a public service company from offering a discount or payment plan for the connection or extension of a natural gas line to a customer's property.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (49)

MGA witness list

FAV 30FavorableUNF 19Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	McCoy, Juli	Allegany County Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Worley, Jessica	Cecil County Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Majchrzak, Tylerlobbyist	Chesapeake Utilities Corporation	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Middleton, Graysonlobbyist	Delmarva Chicken Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fuchs, Kurtlobbyist	Easton Utilities	Written (PDF)
FAV	Peters, Sarahlobbyist	HBS	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sinclair, Melissalobbyist	HBS	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Andrew	Local 419 The Utility Workers of America AFL-CIO, Cumberland Md	Written (PDF)
FAV	Enten, Robert	Maryland Bankers Association	Oral
FAV	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	May, Lisalobbyist	Maryland REALTORS	Written (PDF)
FAV	locklair, caileylobbyist	Maryland Retailers Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Levine, Brianlobbyist	Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Austin, Alex	Prince Georges Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Thompson, Melvinlobbyist	Restaurant Association of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frey, Paul	Washington County Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Crossley, Nakhialobbyist	Washington Gas Light	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cannon, John	Wicomico County Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ingold, Lynn	Wicomico County Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Anleu, Brianlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bertino, Chip	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Buckel, Delegate Buckellegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Gross, Kenneth	Individual	Position only
FAV	Hurley, Laura	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
FAV	Teffeau, Matthewlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Thompson, Lindsaylobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
UNF	Baker, Brittanylobbyist	Chesapeake Climate Action Network	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Demiray, Sonia	Climate Communications Coalition	Position only
UNF	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
UNF	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Bartolomeo, Kathleen	GCAN, MCRT	Position only
UNF	Organization, HoCo Climate Action	HoCo Climate Action	Written (PDF)
UNF	Feighner, Liz	Liz Feighner, self	Position only
UNF	Tulkin, Joshlobbyist	MD Sierra Club	Position only
UNF	Guilfoil, Mona	MD Third Act or Marylanders for Data Center Reform	Written (PDF)
UNF	Scarr, Emilylobbyist	Maryland PIRG	Written (PDF)
UNF	Mizrahi, Jennifer	Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund	Position only
UNF	Lapp, David	Office of People's Counsel	Written (PDF)
UNF	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
UNF	Webster, Phil	Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland	Position only
UNF	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
UNF	Cohn, Debbie	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Kranz, Rhonda	Individual	Position only
UNF	Outten, Megan	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Wilson, Maryrose	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Allegany County Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

BCRWFAV 1

Cecil County Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Chesapeake Climate Action NetworkUNF 1

Chesapeake Utilities CorporationFAV 1

Climate Communications CoalitionUNF 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionUNF 1

Delmarva Chicken AssociationFAV 1

Easton UtilitiesFAV 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandUNF 1

GCAN, MCRTUNF 1

HBSFAV 2

HoCo Climate ActionUNF 1

Liz Feighner, selfUNF 1

Local 419 The Utility Workers of America AFL-CIO, Cumberland MdFAV 1

Maryland Bankers AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Building Industry AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Maryland PIRGUNF 1

Maryland REALTORSFAV 1

Maryland Retailers AssociationFAV 1

MD Sierra ClubUNF 1

MD Third Act or Marylanders for Data Center ReformUNF 1

Mizrahi Family Charitable FundUNF 1

Montgomery County Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Office of People's CounselUNF 1

Prince Georges Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Restaurant Association of MarylandFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryUNF 1

Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of MarylandUNF 1

Washington County Chamber of CommerceFAV 1

Washington Gas LightFAV 1

Wicomico County CouncilFAV 2

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMajchrzak, TylerChesapeake Utilities CorporationRegistered for: Chesapeake Utilities Corporation; Horizon Farm Credit

FAVMiddleton, GraysonDelmarva Chicken AssociationRegistered for: Delmarva Chicken Association

FAVFuchs, KurtEaston UtilitiesRegistered for: Easton Utilities Commission; Horizon Farm Credit

FAVPeters, SarahHBSRegistered for: Action Now Initiative, LLC; Alibaba; Ameresco; American Diabetes Association; Apartment & Office Building Association; Barwood Taxi Service…

FAVSinclair, MelissaHBSRegistered for: American Diabetes Association; City of Gaithersburg; Maryland Athletic Trainers Association, Inc.; Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Energy Solutions, Inc.; Maryland School Psychologists' Association; Maryland Speech Language Hearing Association…

FAVGraf, LoriMaryland Building Industry AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Building Industry Association

FAVAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

FAVMay, LisaMaryland REALTORSRegistered for: Maryland REALTORS; Maryland Association of Realtors

FAVlocklair, caileyMaryland Retailers AssociationRegistered for: HPSO Investments LLC, T/A Riverboat on the Potomac; Maryland Retailers Alliance; Maryland Retailers Association

FAVLevine, BrianMontgomery County Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

FAVThompson, MelvinRestaurant Association of MarylandRegistered for: Restaurant Association of Maryland

FAVCrossley, NakhiaWashington Gas LightRegistered for: Washington Gas

FAVAnleu, BrianRegistered for: AOBA; Apartment & Office Building Association; National Apartment Association

FAVTeffeau, MatthewRegistered for: ABC Metro Washington; Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc.

FAVThompson, LindsayRegistered for: Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire's Disease; American Farmland Trust; CropLife America; Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association; Denali Water Solutions; Horizon Farm Credit…

UNFBaker, BrittanyChesapeake Climate Action NetworkRegistered for: Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund

UNFTulkin, JoshMD Sierra ClubRegistered for: Sierra Club Maryland Chapter

UNFScarr, EmilyMaryland PIRGRegistered for: Maryland PIRG Citizen Lobby