BALTIMORE — As we look to the last day of the Maryland legislative session, an agreement between both the Senate and House of Delegates has Marylanders closer to saving money on utility bills.
Utility Relief Act nears finish line
It’s Marylanders' worst-kept secret—the affordability, or lack thereof, of utility bills.
“It’s outrageous, but so is most of the prices for everything right now," said Baltimorean Dwayne Davis.
Financial stress continues to grow with an incoming heat wave this week.
“The AC and the AC seems like it’s even more expensive, so there’s really no way out," Davis added.
One man, Jody Mays, used to pay $150 a month on his bills but now pays around $600.
“Sometimes more than that, honestly, and that’s including gas and electric," Mays said.
A bill in the Maryland General Assembly aims to help fix that.
Less than a week before the last day of the legislative session, the Senate and House of Delegates came to an agreement on the Utility Relief Act.
The bill will help offset utility fees by saving Marylanders $150 a year or $12.50 a month.
But do residents think it's enough?
“Absolutely not," Davis responded. "I don’t know what the solution is, but that’s not it. I guess they’re just trying to put a Band-Aid on something to make it look good. Hopefully they can keep working on it.”
Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk released a joint statement on the agreement saying,
“We are pleased to announce that the Senate and House of Delegates have reached an agreement on comprehensive legislation to lower energy costs for Maryland families.
Over the past several weeks, the House and Senate have worked collaboratively to advance the Utility RELIEF Act as a balanced, statewide approach to deliver meaningful savings, strengthen our energy grid, and protect ratepayers. While each chamber had advanced slightly different versions of the bill, we are aligned on the core goal: lowering costs and increasing reliability for Marylanders.
As we enter the final days of the legislative session, our teams are working together to finalize the precise legislative language that reflects this shared framework. We are confident that this agreement will deliver real, immediate relief while making long-term investments in Maryland’s energy future.”
Mays said that while it's a start, the answer could lie in raising the state minimum wage, which sits at $15 per hour.
“They might as well go ahead and raise the minimum wage again and give people more money so they can sustain and make a living for themselves versus relying on government assistance.”
Monday, Governor Wes Moore will stand with both Ferguson and Peña-Melnyk to announce the advancement of the bill through to a final vote.
