Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB922 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	sb0922
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 922
8	8	C2 5lr2246
9	9	CF HB 1106
10	10	By: Senator Gile
11	11	Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Finance
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Business Regulation – Travel Services – Surety Requirement 2
19	19	(Don’t You Worry (Wurie) Act) 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of requiring certain providers of travel services to file with the 4
22	22	Department of Labor evidence of financial security; and generally relating to the 5
23	23	financial security of providers of travel services. 6
24	24
25	25	BY adding to 7
26	26	Article – Business Regulation 8
27	27	Section 17–2201 through 17–2205 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 22. Travel 9
28	28	Services” 10
29	29	Annotated Code of Maryland 11
30	30	(2024 Replacement Volume) 12
31	31
32	32	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
33	33	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
34	34
35	35	Article – Business Regulation 15
36	36
37	37	SUBTITLE 22. TRAVEL SERVICES. 16
38	38
39	39	17–2201. 17
40	40
41	41	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 18
42	42	INDICATED. 19
43	43
44	44	(B) “DIVISION” MEANS THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION OF THE 20
45	45	OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 21
46	46	2 SENATE BILL 922
47	47
48	48
49	49	(C) “INDEPENDENT AGENT ” MEANS A PERSON THAT OFFERS OR 1
50	50	UNDERTAKES TO ARRANG E FOR OR PROVIDE THE TRAVEL SERVICES SPEC IFIED IN 2
51	51	SUBSECTION (D)(1)(II) OF THIS SECTION BUT DOES NOT: 3
52	52
53	53	(1) RECEIVE MONEY OR OTHER VALUA BLE CONSIDERATION 4
54	54	DIRECTLY FROM THE PU RCHASER FOR THE SALE OF TRAVEL SERVICES O R FROM 5
55	55	THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL SUPPLIER; 6
56	56
57	57	(2) POSSESS AT ANY TIME A NY UNISSUED TICKET S TOCK OR TRAVEL 7
58	58	DOCUMENT ; OR 8
59	59
60	60	(3) HAVE THE ABILITY TO I SSUE TICKETS, VACATION CERTIFICATE S, 9
61	61	OR ANY OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS . 10
62	62
63	63	(D) (1) “SELLER OF TRAVEL ” MEANS A PERSON THAT : 11
64	64
65	65	(I) IS LOCATED IN THE STATE OR OFFERS TO SE LL TRAVEL 12
66	66	SERVICES TO A PERSON LOCATED IN THE STATE; 13
67	67
68	68	(II) OFFERS OR UNDERTAKES TO ARR ANGE OR PROVIDE FOR : 14
69	69
70	70	1. TRAVEL RESERVATIONS OR ACCO MMODATIONS ; 15
71	71
72	72	2. TICKETS FOR TRAVEL BY ANY MO DE OF 16
73	73	TRANSPORTATION ; 17
74	74
75	75	3. HOTEL OR MOTEL ACCOMMODATI ONS; 18
76	76
77	77	4. CAR RENTALS; OR 19
78	78
79	79	5. SIGHTSEEING TOURS; AND 20
80	80
81	81	(III) RECEIVES VALUABLE CONSIDERATI ON DIRECTLY FROM 21
82	82	THE PURCHASER FOR TH E SALE OF TRAVEL SER VICES OR FROM THE UL TIMATE 22
83	83	TRAVEL SUPPLIER . 23
84	84
85	85	(2) “SELLER OF TRAVEL ” DOES NOT INCLUDE : 24
86	86
87	87	(I) AN AIR CARRIER; 25
88	88
89	89	(II) AN OCEAN CARRIER ; OR 26
90	90	SENATE BILL 922 3
91	91
92	92
93	93	(III) A HOTEL, MOTEL, OR SIMILAR LODGING E STABLISHMENT 1
94	94	THAT, IN THE COURSE OF SEL LING, PROVIDING, OR ARRANGING TRANSIE NT 2
95	95	LODGING ACCOMMODATIO NS AND RELATED SERVI CES FOR ITS REGISTER ED 3
96	96	GUESTS: 4
97	97
98	98	1. ARRANGES OR PROVIDES FOR TRAN SPORTATION; AND 5
99	99
100	100	2. DOES NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTL Y RECEIVE MONEY 6
101	101	OR OTHER VALUABLE CO NSIDERATION FOR ARRA NGING OR PROVIDING T HAT 7
102	102	TRANSPORTATION . 8
103	103
104	104	17–2202. 9
105	105
106	106	(A) (1) EACH SELLER OF TRAVEL OR INDEPENDENT AGENT SHALL FILE 10
107	107	ANNUALLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT EVIDENCE OF FINANCIA L SECURITY AS 11
108	108	REQUIRED BY THIS SUBTIT LE. 12
109	109
110	110	(2) EACH SELLER OF TRAVEL SHALL FILE ANNUALLY WITH THE 13
111	111	DEPARTMENT A LIST OF INDEPENDEN T AGENTS AFFILIATED WITH THE SELLER OF 14
112	112	TRAVEL. 15
113	113
114	114	(3) THE ANNUAL FILING FEE IS $300. 16
115	115
116	116	(B) A PERSON MAY NOT RECEI VE VALUABLE CONSIDER ATION IN PAYMENT 17
117	117	FOR SERVICES OFFERED FOR SALE BY A SELLER OF TRAVEL OR AN INDE PENDENT 18
118	118	AGENT UNLESS , AT THE TIME OF RECEI VING THE PAYMENT , THE SELLER OF TRAVEL 19
119	119	OR INDEPENDENT AGENT HAS MET THE ANNUAL F ILING REQUIREMENTS U NDER 20
120	120	SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 21
121	121
122	122	(C) IF THERE IS A MATERIAL CHANGE IN THE FINANC IAL SECURITY OF A 22
123	123	SELLER OF TRAVEL OR AN INDEPENDENT AGENT DURING THE PERIOD BE TWEEN 23
124	124	THE ANNUAL FILINGS R EQUIRED UNDER SUBSEC TION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION, THE 24
125	125	SELLER OF TRAVEL OR AN INDEPENDENT AGENT SHALL FILE AN AD DENDUM WITH 25
126	126	THE DEPARTMENT . 26
127	127
128	128	17–2203. 27
129	129
130	130	(A) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, EVIDENCE OF THE 28
131	131	FINANCIAL SECURITY R EQUIRED UNDER § 17–2202 OF THIS SUBTITLE SHA LL BE A 29
132	132	SURETY OR CASH PERFO RMANCE BOND RELATIVE TO THE ANNUAL GROSS INCOME 30
133	133	OF THE SELLER OF TRAVEL OR INDEPENDENT AGENT IN THE STATE AS FOLLOWS : 31
134	134	4 SENATE BILL 922
135	135
136	136
137	137	(I) IF THE ANNUAL GROSS INC OME OF BUSINESS COND UCTED 1
138	138	IN THE STATE IS LESS THAN $200,000, THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE SURETY 2
139	139	BOND SHALL BE $10,000; 3
140	140
141	141	(II) IF THE ANNUAL GROSS INC OME OF BUS INESS CONDUCTED 4
142	142	IN THE STATE IS $200,000 OR MORE BUT LESS THA N $500,000, THE PRINCIPAL 5
143	143	AMOUNT OF THE SURETY BOND SHALL BE $20,000; 6
144	144
145	145	(III) IF THE ANNUAL GROSS INC OME OF BUSINESS COND UCTED 7
146	146	IN THE STATE IS $500,000 OR MORE BUT LESS THA N $750,000, THE PRINCIPAL 8
147	147	AMOUNT OF THE SURETY BOND SHALL BE $30,000; 9
148	148
149	149	(IV) IF THE ANNUAL GROSS INC OME OF BUSINESS COND UCTED 10
150	150	IN THE STATE IS $750,000 OR MORE BUT LESS THA N $1,000,000, THE PRINCIPAL 11
151	151	AMOUNT OF THE SURETY BOND SHALL BE $40,000; AND 12
152	152
153	153	(V) IF THE ANNUAL GROSS INCOME OF BUSINESS C ONDUCTED 13
154	154	IN THE STATE IS $1,000,000 OR MORE, THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE SURETY 14
155	155	BOND SHALL BE $50,000. 15
156	156
157	157	(2) ANY SURETY BOND UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHAL L CONFORM 16
158	158	WITH THE INSURANCE ARTICLE AND BE EXECUT ED BY A SURETY COMPA NY 17
159	159	AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN TH E STATE. 18
160	160
161	161	(B) IN LIEU OF THE BOND R EQUIRED UNDER SUBSEC TION (A) OF THIS 19
162	162	SECTION, A SELLER OF TRAVEL O R AN INDEPENDENT AGE NT MAY: 20
163	163
164	164	(1) OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF DEP OSIT OR AN IRREVOCAB LE LETTER 21
165	165	OF CREDIT FROM A STATE BANKING INSTITU TION IN THE AMOUNT OF THE 22
166	166	PERFORMANCE BOND ; 23
167	167
168	168	(2) FILE WITH THE DEPARTMENT PROOF OF PROFESSIONA L 24
169	169	LIABILITY AND ERRORS AND OMISSIONS INSURA NCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,000,000; 25
170	170	OR 26
171	171
172	172	(3) DEPOSIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT : 27
173	173
174	174	(I) CASH IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000; 28
175	175
176	176	(II) SECURITIES WITH A VALUE OF AT L EAST $50,000; 29
177	177	SENATE BILL 922 5
178	178
179	179
180	180	(III) A STATEMENT FROM A LIC ENSED FINANCIAL INST ITUTION 1
181	181	GUARANTEEING THE PER FORMANCE OF THE SELL ER OF TRAVEL OR INDE PENDENT 2
182	182	AGENT; OR 3
183	183
184	184	(IV) A SECURITY INTEREST IN PROPERTY WITH A VALU E OF 4
185	185	$50,000. 5
186	186
187	187	(C) THE BOND REQUIRED UNDE R SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L 6
188	188	BE PAYABLE TO THE STATE AND THE BOND OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF SE CURITY 7
189	189	SPECIFIED IN SUBSECT ION (B) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE FOR THE USE AND 8
190	190	BENEFIT OF ANY PERSO N: 9
191	191
192	192	(1) WHO SUSTAINS A MONETARY LOSS AS A RESULT OF THE FRAU D, 10
193	193	MISREPRESENTATION , BREACH OF CONTRACT , FINANCIAL FAILURE , OR VIOLATION 11
194	194	OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS SUBTITLE BY THE SELLER OF TRAVEL OR INDEPENDENT 12
195	195	AGENT; OR 13
196	196
197	197	(2) FOR WHOM SERVICES HAVE N OT BEEN DELIVERED BY THE 14
198	198	WRONGFUL ACT OF : 15
199	199
200	200	(I) THE SELLER OF TRAVEL OR INDEPENDENT AGENT AC TING 16
201	201	IN THE COURSE OF BUS INESS; OR 17
202	202
203	203	(II) AN OFFICIAL, AGENT, OR EMPLOYEE OF THE S ELLER OF 18
204	204	TRAVEL OR INDEPENDEN T AGENT, ACTING IN THE COURSE OF THE OFFICIAL ’S, 19
205	205	AGENT’S, OR EMPLOYEE ’S EMPLOYMENT OR AGEN CY. 20
206	206
207	207	17–2204. 21
208	208
209	209	THE DIVISION AND THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 22
210	210
211	211	(1) PROVIDE REASONABLE NOTICE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS 23
212	212	SUBTITLE TO CONSUMER S AND SELLERS OF TRA VEL; AND 24
213	213
214	214	(2) ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF TH IS SUBTITLE. 25
215	215
216	216	17–2205. 26
217	217
218	218	(A) (1) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO VIO LATES ANY PROVISION OF THIS SUBTITLE 27
219	219	IS GUILTY OF A MISDE MEANOR AND ON CONVIC TION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT 28
220	220	EXCEEDING $10,000. 29
221	221	6 SENATE BILL 922
222	222
223	223
224	224	(2) AN INDIVIDUAL ON CONV ICTION OF A SECOND O R SUBSEQUENT 1
225	225	OFFENSE UNDER THIS S UBTITLE IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND IS SUBJECT TO 2
226	226	A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $50,000. 3
227	227
228	228	(B) (1) A BUSINESS ENTITY THAT VIOLATES ANY PROVISI ON OF THIS 4
229	229	SUBTITLE IS GUILTY O F A MISDEMEANOR AND ON CONVICTION IS SUB JECT TO A FINE 5
230	230	NOT EXCEEDING $50,000. 6
231	231
232	232	(2) A BUSINESS ENTITY ON C ONVICTION OF A SECON D OR 7
233	233	SUBSEQUENT OF FENSE UNDER THIS SUB TITLE IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND 8
234	234	IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $100,000. 9
235	235
236	236	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
237	237	October 1, 2025. 11
238	238