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House adopts amendment to remove criminal penalties from automatic-renewal consumer protections
Summary
The House adopted an amendment to House Bill 107 that removes criminal penalties from the bill's enforcement provisions while preserving civil remedies; the bill was ordered printed for third reading.
On Feb. 20, 2025, the Maryland House of Delegates adopted an amendment to House Bill 107, a consumer-protection measure addressing automatic renewals. The amendment replaced statutory language and removed the criminal penalty portion of the bill's penalty provisions while leaving civil enforcement intact. The amendment vote was approved by voice and the bill was ordered printed for third reading.
The amendment was offered from the floor as amendment number 913622/1 (also described as amendment number 1). The sponsor described a specific change "on page 5, in line 30, 31 strikes 13-408 and substitutes 13-408 and 13-411" and said the purpose was to remove the criminal portion of the penalty while keeping civil remedies. "It is in that spirit that I offer this amendment for consideration," said Delegate (unnamed, amendment sponsor).
The floor leader and other members signaled support for the change. One member characterized it as a "friendly amendment" that committee members would accept. The Speaker put the question and members signified assent by saying "aye;" the Clerk announced that the ayes had it and the amendment was adopted. A subsequent clerk statement recorded that there were no additional amendments and that the bill was ordered printed for third reading.
The House did not record a roll-call tally for the amendment in the provided transcript; the adoption was by voice vote. The amendment and the clerk's announcement are captured in the House's third-reading procedural record for the day.
