Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1553 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1553
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1553
8	8	C9, I4, P1 5lr3597
9	9
10	10	By: Delegate Fair
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Commercial Law – Broadband Access – Low–Income Consumer Programs 2
19	19	(Maryland Broadband Opportunity and Fairness Act) 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of requiring each broadband provider in the State to establish a program 4
22	22	to provide broadband services to eligible low–income consumers at certain prices 5
23	23	depending on speed on or before a certain date; authorizing the Office of Statewide 6
24	24	Broadband in the Department of Housing and Community Development to exempt 7
25	25	certain providers from the requirement to establish a program; altering the duties of 8
26	26	the Office; and generally relating to broadband access for low–income consumers. 9
27	27
28	28	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
29	29	Article – Commercial Law 11
30	30	Section 13–301(14)(xlii) 12
31	31	Annotated Code of Maryland 13
32	32	(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
33	33
34	34	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 15
35	35	Article – Commercial Law 16
36	36	Section 13–301(14)(xliii) 17
37	37	Annotated Code of Maryland 18
38	38	(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
39	39
40	40	BY adding to 20
41	41	Article – Commercial Law 21
42	42	Section 13–301(14)(xliv); and 14–5001 through 14–5005 to be under the new subtitle 22
43	43	“Subtitle 50. Maryland Broadband Opportunity and Fairness” 23
44	44	Annotated Code of Maryland 24
45	45	(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 25
46	46
47	47	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 26
48	48	Article – Housing and Community Development 27 2 HOUSE BILL 1553
49	49
50	50
51	51	Section 6.5–101 1
52	52	Annotated Code of Maryland 2
53	53	(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 3
54	54
55	55	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 4
56	56	Article – Housing and Community Development 5
57	57	Section 6.5–104(a)(1), (2), (4), and (5) and (e) 6
58	58	Annotated Code of Maryland 7
59	59	(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 8
60	60
61	61	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
62	62	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 10
63	63
64	64	Article – Commercial Law 11
65	65
66	66	13–301. 12
67	67
68	68	Unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practices include any: 13
69	69
70	70	(14) Violation of a provision of: 14
71	71
72	72	(xlii) Section 12–6C–09.1 of the Health Occupations Article; [or] 15
73	73
74	74	(xliii) Title 14, Subtitle 48 of this article; or 16
75	75
76	76	(XLIV) TITLE 14, SUBTITLE 50 OF THIS ARTICLE; OR 17
77	77
78	78	SUBTITLE 50. MARYLAND BROADBAND OPPORTUNITY AND FAIRNESS. 18
79	79
80	80	14–5001. 19
81	81
82	82	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
83	83	INDICATED. 21
84	84
85	85	(B) (1) “BROADBAND SERVICE” MEANS A MASS–MARKET RETAIL SERVIC E 22
86	86	THAT PROVIDES THE CA PABILITY TO TRANSMIT DATA TO AND RECEIVE DATA FROM 23
87	87	ALL OR SUBSTANTIALLY ALL INTERNET ENDPOINTS, INCLUDING ANY CAPABI LITIES 24
88	88	THAT ARE INCIDENTAL TO AND ENABLE THE OP ERATION OF COMMUNICA TIONS 25
89	89	SERVICES PROVIDED BY A WIRELINE , FIXED WIRELESS , MOBILE WIRELESS 26
90	90	BROADBAND , OR SATELLITE SERVICE PROVIDER. 27
91	91
92	92	(2) “BROADBAND SERVICE ” DOES NOT INCLUDE DIA L–UP SERVICE. 28
93	93
94	94	(C) “LOW–INCOME CONSUMER ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHOSE HOUSEHOLD 29
95	95	OR AT LEAST ONE MEMB ER OF THE HOUSEHOLD : 30 HOUSE BILL 1553 3
96	96
97	97
98	98
99	99	(1) MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR: 1
100	100
101	101	(I) FREE AND REDUCED PRICED MEAL PROGRAMS 2
102	102	ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ; 3
103	103
104	104	(II) SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 4
105	105	BENEFITS; OR 5
106	106
107	107	(III) MEDICAID BENEFITS ; 6
108	108
109	109	(2) IN THE PRIOR TAX ABLE YEAR, MET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 7
110	110	FOR: 8
111	111
112	112	(I) THE MARYLAND EARNED INCOME TAX CR EDIT; OR 9
113	113
114	114	(II) THE CREDIT FOR THE EL DERLY AND THE PERMAN ENTLY 10
115	115	AND TOTALLY DISABLED UNDER 26 U.S.C. § 22; 11
116	116
117	117	(3) RECEIVES A BENEFIT TH ROUGH A LOW –INCOME ENERGY 12
118	118	ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ; OR 13
119	119
120	120	(4) HAS AN ANNUAL HOUSEHO LD INCOME AT OR BELO W 200% OF THE 14
121	121	FEDERAL POVERTY GUID ELINES. 15
122	122
123	123	(D) “OFFICE” MEANS THE OFFICE OF STATEWIDE BROADBAND IN THE 16
124	124	DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT . 17
125	125
126	126	(E) “PROGRAM” MEANS A LOW–INCOME CONSUMER PROG RAM. 18
127	127
128	128	(F) “PROVIDER” MEANS A PERSON THAT PROVIDES BROADB AND SERVICE. 19
129	129
130	130	14–5002. 20
131	131
132	132	(A) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2025, EACH PROVIDER IN THE STATE 21
133	133	SHALL ESTABLISH A LOW –INCOME CONSUMER PROG RAM. 22
134	134
135	135	(B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 23
136	136	PROGRAM SHALL OFFER BROADBAND SERV ICE TO ELIGIBLE LOW –INCOME 24
137	137	CONSUMER S AT A PRICE NOT TO EX CEED: 25
138	138	4 HOUSE BILL 1553
139	139
140	140
141	141	(I) $15 PER MONTH , INCLUDING TAXES AND FEES, FOR A 1
142	142	MINIMUM BROADBAND SP EED OF 100 MEGABITS PER SECOND DOWNLOAD SPEE D 2
143	143	AND 20 MEGABITS PER SECOND UPLOAD SPEED ; OR 3
144	144
145	145	(II) $20 PER MONTH , INCLUDING TAXES AND FEES, FOR A 4
146	146	MINIMUM BROADBAND SPEED OF 200 MEGABITS PER SECOND DOWNLOAD SPEED 5
147	147	AND 20 MEGABITS PER SECOND UPLOAD SPEED . 6
148	148
149	149	(2) THE OFFICE MAY MODIF Y THE DOWNLOAD AND U PLOAD SPEEDS 7
150	150	REQUIRED IN PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION FOR AREAS OF THE STATE IN 8
151	151	WHICH SUCH SPEEDS ARE NOT REASONABLY PRACTICAB LE. 9
152	152
153	153	(3) (I) A PROVIDER MAY , ONCE EVERY 3 YEARS, INCREASE THE 10
154	154	PRICE OF BROADBAND SERVICE PROVIDED UNDER THE PROVIDER’S PROGRAM BY 11
155	155	THE LESSER OF: 12
156	156
157	157	1. THE MOST RECENT CHANG E IN THE CONSUMER 13
158	158	PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS; OR 14
159	159
160	160	2. NOT MORE THAN 2% PER YEAR. 15
161	161
162	162	(II) A PROVIDER SHALL PROVI DE AT LEAST 30 DAYS’ NOTICE OF 16
163	163	A PRICE INCREASE AUT HORIZED UNDER THIS P ARAGRAPH TO CONSUMERS 17
164	164	CURRENTLY ENROLLED I N THE PROVIDER’S PROGRAM AND THE OFFICE BEFORE 18
165	165	INCREASING THE PRICE. 19
166	166
167	167	(C) A PROVIDER MAY NOT REQ UIRE ENROLL MENT IN AN AUTOMATIC 20
168	168	PAYMENT PLAN AS A CRITERION FOR ELIGIBILITY IN A PROGRAM. 21
169	169
170	170	(D) A PROVIDER SHALL ALLOW CUSTOMERS ENROLLED I N THE PROVIDER’S 22
171	171	PROGRAM TO PURCHASE STANDALO NE BROADBAND SERVICE , OR BROADBAND 23
172	172	SERVICE BUNDLED WITH CABLE TELEVISION OR PHONE SERVICE . 24
173	173
174	174	(E) ANY CONTRACT OR AGREE MENT FOR BROADBAND SERVICE OFFERED AS 25
175	175	PART OF A PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE THE SAME TERMS AND C ONDITIONS, OTHER 26
176	176	THAN PRICE AND BROAD BAND SPEED, AS REGULARLY PRICED PLANS FOR SIMILAR 27
177	177	SERVICES OFFERED BY THE PRO VIDER. 28
178	178
179	179	(F) (1) A PROVIDER SHALL MAKE ALL COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE 29
180	180	EFFORTS TO PROMOTE A ND ADVERTISE THE AVA ILABILITY OF BROADBA ND SERVICE 30
181	181	FOR LOW –INCOME CONSUMERS AND ENROLLMENT PROCE DURES ON THE 31
182	182	PROVIDER’S WEBSITE AND IN ANY W RITTEN OR COMMERCIAL PROMOTION AL OR 32
183	183	ADVERTISING MATERIAL S. 33 HOUSE BILL 1553 5
184	184
185	185
186	186
187	187	(2) ANY PROMOTION OR ADVE RTISING REQUIRED UND ER 1
188	188	PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL INCLUDE THE PRO MINENT DISPLAY OF 2
189	189	THE PROVIDER ’S PROGRAM. 3
190	190
191	191	14–5003. 4
192	192
193	193	THE OFFICE MAY EXEMPT A P ROVIDER FROM THE REQ UIREMENTS OF § 5
194	194	14–5002 OF THIS SUBTITLE IF: 6
195	195
196	196	(1) THE PROVIDER PROVIDES BROADBAND SERVICE TO FEWER THAN 7
197	197	20,000 HOUSEHOLDS ; AND 8
198	198
199	199	(2) THE OFFICE DETERMINES THA T COMPLIANCE WOULD R ESULT IN 9
200	200	AN UNREASONABLE OR UNSU STAINABLE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE PROVID ER. 10
201	201
202	202	14–5004. 11
203	203
204	204	(A) ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 15, 2026, AND EACH NOVEMBER 15 12
205	205	THEREAFTER , A PROVIDER IN THE STATE SHALL FILE WITH THE OFFICE A 13
206	206	COMPLIANCE REPORT INCLUDING: 14
207	207
208	208	(1) THE AVAILABILITY OF A LOW–INCOME CONSUMER PROG RAM; 15
209	209
210	210	(2) THE NUMBER OF CONSUME RS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM; 16
211	211
212	212	(3) THE PROCEDURES USED T O VERIFY THE ELIGIBI LITY OF 17
213	213	CUSTOMERS APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM; 18
214	214
215	215	(4) THE ADVERTISING AND M ARKETING EFFORTS UND ERTAKEN TO 19
216	216	ADVERTISE AND PROMOT E THE AVAILABILITY O F THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING 20
217	217	SAMPLES OF ADVERTISI NG AND MARKETING MAT ERIALS; 21
218	218
219	219	(5) ALL BROADBAND SERVICE PL ANS OFFERED BY THE PROVI DER, 22
220	220	INCLUDING PRICING AN D BROADBAND SPEEDS ; AND 23
221	221
222	222	(6) ANY OTHER INFORMATION THE OFFICE CONSIDERS NECE SSARY 24
223	223	OR APPROPRIATE . 25
224	224
225	225	(B) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2028, AND AT LEAST EVERY 5 YEARS 26
226	226	THEREAFTER , THE OFFICE SHALL: 27
227	227	6 HOUSE BILL 1553
228	228
229	229
230	230	(1) DETERMINE WHETHER THE MINIMUM BROADBAN D DOWNLOAD 1
231	231	AND UPLOAD SPEEDS REQUIRED IN § 14–5002(B)(1) OF THIS SUBTITLE SHOULD BE 2
232	232	INCREASED TO : 3
233	233
234	234	(I) THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION’S 4
235	235	BENCHMARK FOR HIGH –SPEED FIXED BROADBAN D DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD 5
236	236	SPEEDS; OR 6
237	237
238	238	(II) COMMONLY AVAILABLE MO BILE BROADBAND DOWNL OAD 7
239	239	AND UPLOAD SPEEDS IN THE STATE; AND 8
240	240
241	241	(2) (I) EVALUATE THE ELIGIBIL ITY REQUIREMENTS FOR A 9
242	242	LOW–INCOME CONSUMER ; AND 10
243	243
244	244	(II) INCLUDE IN THE REPORT REQUIRED UNDER § 6.5–104 OF 11
245	245	THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ARTICLE ANY RECOMMEND ATIONS 12
246	246	FOR CHANGES TO THE E LIGIBILITY REQUIREME NTS. 13
247	247
248	248	14–5005. 14
249	249
250	250	A VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE IS AN UNFAIR, ABUSIVE, OR DECEPTIVE 15
251	251	TRADE PRACTICE WITHI N THE MEANING OF TITLE 13 OF THIS ARTICLE AND IS 16
252	252	SUBJECT TO THE ENFOR CEMENT AND PENALTY P ROVISIONS CONTAINED IN TITLE 17
253	253	13 OF THIS ARTICLE. 18
254	254
255	255	Article – Housing and Community Development 19
256	256
257	257	6.5–101. 20
258	258
259	259	(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 21
260	260
261	261	(b) “Director” means the Director of the Office of Statewide Broadband. 22
262	262
263	263	(c) “Office” means the Office of Statewide Broadband. 23
264	264
265	265	6.5–104. 24
266	266
267	267	(a) The Office shall: 25
268	268
269	269	(1) develop definitions and standards for broadband Internet that: 26
270	270
271	271	(i) address current and future requirements and uses by 27
272	272	communities, businesses, schools, health care providers, and other stakeholders; 28
273	273	HOUSE BILL 1553 7
274	274
275	275
276	276	(ii) reflect the need for a forward–looking, statewide digital 1
277	277	communications infrastructure; [and] 2
278	278
279	279	(iii) ARE CONSISTENT WITH TITLE 14, SUBTITLE 50 OF THE 3
280	280	COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; AND 4
281	281
282	282	(IV) are not at odds with definitions and standards adopted by the 5
283	283	Federal Communications Commission; 6
284	284
285	285	(2) (i) collect promotional and nonpromotional pricing data directly 7
286	286	from broadband Internet providers, INCLUDING DATA REQUI RED UNDER § 14–5004(A) 8
287	287	OF THE COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; and 9
288	288
289	289	(ii) assess the actual upload and download speeds experienced by 10
290	290	consumers; 11
291	291
292	292	(4) create a website that houses a publicly accessible map that allows users 12
293	293	to overlay GIS heat mapping comments, based on and incorporating data and information 13
294	294	from the Federal Communications Commission, that shows, in addition to any information 14
295	295	provided by the Federal Communications Commission: 15
296	296
297	297	(i) which residences do and do not have access to broadband 16
298	298	Internet; 17
299	299
300	300	(ii) broadband Internet service prices and plans available in 18
301	301	different areas, INCLUDING REDUCED RA TE BROADBAND PLANS F OR LOW–INCOME 19
302	302	CONSUMERS ; and 20
303	303
304	304	(iii) other available State geographic and demographic data; 21
305	305
306	306	(5) collect, analyze, and publicly share: 22
307	307
308	308	(i) geographic and demographic data regarding households that rely 23
309	309	on mobile broadband for Internet service, based on the understanding that mobile 24
310	310	broadband is not a substitute for in–home fixed Internet services; 25
311	311
312	312	(ii) data regarding the adoption and affordability of reliable 26
313	313	broadband Internet in the State, including the average cost per average speed by county; 27
314	314	[and] 28
315	315
316	316	(iii) data regarding in vestments in expanding Internet 29
317	317	infrastructure, adoption, and speed increases; AND 30
318	318
319	319	(IV) AVAILABLE BROADBAND PRODUCTS INCLUDING R ETAIL 31
320	320	RATE PLANS AND LOW–INCOME CONSUMER PLANS; 32
321	321	8 HOUSE BILL 1553
322	322
323	323
324	324	(e) (1) On or before December 1, 2021, and each year thereafter, the Office 1
325	325	shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 2
326	326	Article, the General Assembly on: 3
327	327
328	328	(i) the progress of the State’s efforts to: 4
329	329
330	330	1. develop and implement the plan required under 5
331	331	subsection (c) of this section; 6
332	332
333	333	2. increase access and connection to broadband Internet 7
334	334	services throughout the State with specific reporting on improvements to infrastructure, 8
335	335	adoption, and speeds; 9
336	336
337	337	3. improve digital literacy among residents of the State; and 10
338	338
339	339	4. increase speeds to meet or exceed the Federal 11
340	340	Communications Commission standard for upload and download speeds; 12
341	341
342	342	(ii) the existing gaps in connectivity and the State’s progress toward 13
343	343	closing those gaps; 14
344	344
345	345	(iii) the impact that gaps in Internet service have on the workforce 15
346	346	and State and local economies; 16
347	347
348	348	(iv) information from local education agencies on the impact of 17
349	349	Internet service quality on student achievement and access to 21st century opportunities; 18
350	350
351	351	(v) demographic data on locations with gaps in services; and 19
352	352
353	353	(vi) the allocation of money from, and programs supported by, the 20
354	354	Digital Inclusion Fund, the Digital Connectivity Fund, and the Rural Broadband 21
355	355	Assistance Fund in the preceding fiscal year. 22
356	356
357	357	(2) The report required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall: 23
358	358
359	359	(I) MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF § 14–5004(B)(2)(II) OF THE 24
360	360	COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; AND 25
361	361
362	362	(II) be published on the website established under subsection (a)(4) 26
363	363	of this section. 27
364	364
365	365	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
366	366	October 1, 2025. 29