[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6612607,"mediaKeyId","2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a","parentId",2890643,"title","Bill would give disaster victims five days to rescind restoration contracts; onsite-solicitation restriction removed","audioSeconds",906,"startMs",1095135,"endMs",2001355,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a&start=1095&end=2001","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a/thumbnail_1095135.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6612607/Maryland/Bill-would-give-disaster-victims-five-days-to-rescind-restoration-contracts-onsite-solicitation-restriction-removed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612607-f9135ff8efa23256bc8f3edd1e430831/orig.mp4?Expires=1775544210&Signature=KpqCzuqvLfQiLWtVW6qFJieLvJlcWxRbz7p4k3~XZ0kP6Qi4~19v-HoyUhcaQ8lqem8GipeN8c3zmruS3gMHVJHTs8bCX9oHXDbSDGhHYFiIbHtyJ9398k4piXNvVI02D91EyydbKs-xD1VAE9dB4H-8-pq4YfTqDfpAEZAPJRExh2d9Z9RiAWTghM1I6NpweRn0jXuUS7DvR7z9juIPYuplqUop3UG6Kfy9jrWkRKx~XH9JWYMM1loDbZl1kRt28AYSDoV6Q0x4OoCbbPiFm5HOnelb8LDWdWMKEOTWlpbIe0dA1WdDKhiiDgfSnc-T3DYSA5mRZrMcf09nENfSUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Education, Energy and Environment","date","2025-04-07T15:37:33.297Z","article","Delegate Ampri presented House Bill 1348 to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, saying the bill responds to disaster scenes in which companies solicit homeowners who are in trauma and may sign contracts that are costly or ill-suited to insurance coverage.

Ampri said the bill would “provide a window of 5 days for people to be able to rescind those contracts they might have signed into,” give the Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) rulemaking authority over restoration services and implement contract disclosure and rescission protections. He said some language (part d) that would have imposed on-site solicitation parameters was removed after discussions with industry representatives; an amendment to redact that language was expected.

Councilwoman Ramos (Fourteenth District), the delegate’s counsel, described witnessing solicitations after neighborhood fires and said the bill would help residents “make sure that they have time to talk to their insurance company first” and avoid overpaying when insurance dollars are limited.

Opponents and industry witnesses said the bill, as originally drafted, risked unconstitutional restrictions on commercial speech and would duplicate or conflict with recent insurance-law changes. Bruce Barriano testified in opposition on behalf of restoration companies and an insurance-alliance firm, saying part d had been dropped because courts have struck down similar solicitation bans and that the committee should not enact duplicative regulation where the insurance commissioner already has licensing authority. Barriano referenced “chapter 826” (House Bill 36) enacted last year, which he said gives the insurance commissioner authority to license and regulate public adjusters and related emergency-services activities.

William Carabaras, owner of Platinum Emergency Services, said in opposition that “emergency mitigation is not the same as general contracting or restoration” and that mitigation must happen “within hours not days” to prevent further damage and health risks. He and Barriano warned the proposed restrictions could delay legally required mitigation and risk insurance coverage disputes.

Sponsors emphasized they removed the on-site solicitation language (part d) and said they would provide an amendment; the hearing record shows at least one expected opposition testimony but no committee vote at this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","EEE Committee Session, 4/7/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Delegate Ampri presented House Bill 1348 to require rules for restoration/mitigation contracts after disasters, including a five-day rescission window; sponsors removed proposed on-site solicitation restrictions amid constitutional and regulatory concerns raised by opponents and industry witnesses.","taxTitle","Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15092,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612612,"Bill would allow local board-of-appeals option for historic-preservation decisions",153,935120,1088975,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a&start=935&end=1088","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a/thumbnail_935120.jpg","/articles/6612612/Maryland/Bill-would-allow-local-board-of-appeals-option-for-historic-preservation-decisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612612-78f7999c0460b30f09f878df299b5913/orig.mp4?Expires=1775544210&Signature=j4vcKXy925Cw4-gvuKp0OYTJiyLhBeNqjhhT~5ytAhpJodp4c54UjhpMpE2HxLyiEb6qFY7ek~m6w1mIT6ialpKKQN12~6l6epKqwfnIb4xuj1oUkkE6~1fpa-BPxeN9BtLW7MWhTcmGZf0c0GwhuSBEpj2cSeWD~xcurB36Z2Cw8abPzxX6HmnIvc3AlUkTT3vXnDaxQHVgJ3NUCKxf4Iwwd3PgmQNSsLIXgENQB0ZU7DA7xquzn10-UGZ4IeFQ5Pva1G4glalO-VraLhhX07A1NdN9NCFys7ALh4fURE2R~8gqAOFSqDZxAgVJZ3GZzrsFyKndq0tHCmmZydwTvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate McComas presented House Bill 1255 to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, describing the bill as a measure to allow property owners to appeal historic-preservation commission decisions to a local board of appeals rather than being required to file in circuit court.

McComas said the bill was amended in the House to ensure it would not interfere with jurisdictions that prefer circuit-court appeals and that “it just allows if the folks want to amend it or amend the bill, they would have to have a municipal ordinance to do that.” He told the committee the bill’s genesis is the town of Bel Air in Harford County, which he described as a small town with about 10,000 residents and a concentration of historic properties along major roads.

The sponsor said the local board-of-appeals option is intended to lower the cost and complexity of appeals because circuit-court challenges typically require transcripts, filing fees and expert witnesses. He added that owners who disagree with a board-of-appeals outcome could still pursue circuit-court review, preserving the existing judicial option.

McComas told the committee that Baltimore City filed notice requesting the bill not to interfere with its circuit-court rights; that provision was added to the bill as an amendment. Committee members asked no recorded follow-up questions and the hearing moved on to the next agenda item.

No recorded vote took place during the hearing.","Delegate McComas presented House Bill 1255 to let property owners appeal historic-preservation commission decisions to a local board of appeals as an alternative to circuit court; sponsors say the change would make appeals less costly while preserving the right to circuit-court review.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612615,"Committee hears bill to create statewide mattress stewardship program",880,45635,926160,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a&start=45&end=926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2890643-c771d54cb5b0e03a838ba406472c5f5a/thumbnail_45635.jpg","/articles/6612615/Maryland/Committee-hears-bill-to-create-statewide-mattress-stewardship-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612615-50e24cd679df96177646498d76849b53/orig.mp4?Expires=1775544210&Signature=owaP8BYNv2k4XyUk9z6zZEFhe9MMRQ8IHaIjSTkhLn6g~Hg-RU2ptF6eyay1G-3Nuy~o49RlNYPmSRcFC~iHJIBlm~CLb3vDiYHdn1ACvWLu2CGvoX9cFOyz1RjiGE4vPUdwpldxZTFQuUyuqsUpwqh-1MjszFLVRUuaLMPxbEx4TFPcxTcqgYKViOXKUTR9ueKBj1PZCSBrfNgCihUwH4tJUIRySiTmZZtJpoMDwit47Ie82CLAVAopWjgihqDUXZoVLG7GctPzTavKZafOqELp2~ov1QmEX8Ak7Ckka~vlETQeTR0Krr8~K3s6dryaM94fz55FgDVypurebIlXLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a hearing of the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, Delegate Terry Hill (Howard County) presented House Bill 858, which would establish a statewide mattress stewardship program funded by a fee at the time of purchase to support mattress disassembly and recycling.

Hill told the committee that “mattresses are among the most difficult household items to dispose of,” are bulky, damage landfill equipment and that “85% are, recyclable.” He said product-component recycling (wood, steel springs, fabric) can reduce disposal volume and extend landfill life. Hill described site visits to a mattress renovator in Baltimore County and called the proposal “a win for the environmental, … a win from the economic aspect,” saying renovator jobs pay above minimum wage and that the program would reimburse local jurisdictions for mattress-handling costs they currently absorb.

The bill would require a fee charged at purchase. Hill cited fee ranges used in other states “from about $16 a mattress to $22 a mattress,” noting most people buy a mattress every 10–15 years and that translates to “about a dollar or less than a dollar a year.” He said the program design allows tiering (for example, different fees by mattress size) though many states use a single flat fee.

Committee members asked how the proposal would handle failures or delays in program rollout and whether local taxpayers would see reduced waste charges. Senator Gilliam asked what would happen “if the program doesn't work,” and Hill said the bill includes narrow exceptions allowing landfilling or incineration of deeply contaminated mattresses (for example, mattresses with bed bugs or those involved in violent crime scenes) and that the department would define those exceptions. He said the program is modeled on ongoing programs in other states and that as markets for recycled components mature the fee should decline.

Senator Carrozza and others pressed the sponsor about local jurisdictions that already run mattress collection programs paid for by local taxes. Hill said the bill would reimburse local jurisdictions for existing contracts with haulers and renovators and that how local governments pass savings to taxpayers would remain a local decision.

No vote was recorded at the hearing; the committee concluded discussion on House Bill 858 and moved to the next item on the agenda.","Delegate Terry Hill presented House Bill 858 to establish a statewide mattress stewardship program funded by point-of-sale fees to support mattress disassembly and recycling, with sponsors saying the program would reduce landfill costs and create recycling jobs; committee members asked about fallback options and local tax effects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would give disaster victims five days to rescind restoration contracts; onsite-solicitation restriction removed

Bill would allow local board-of-appeals option for historic-preservation decisions

Committee hears bill to create statewide mattress stewardship program