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Naming dispute derails special‑order move on auto price‑transparency bill
Summary
Delegates objected to naming House Bill 306 after 'Jack Fitzgerald,' arguing the title could appear to favor a private dealership group; a motion to special‑order the bill failed on a roll call and the measure was printed for third reading without the special order.
Annapolis — Floor debate over House Bill 306 centered not on policy details but on the bill’s title and optics. When the clerk read HB306 (vehicle laws; dealers to list prices on dealer websites), a delegate from Southern Maryland objected to the bill being titled the "Jack Fitzgerald Price Transparency Act," saying it was inappropriate to name a bill after a private business that could benefit.
"Under no circumstances should there ever be the name of a private company in a bill that comes out of this legislature," the delegate from Southern Maryland said, urging removal of the name from the title and offering to work with the sponsor offline.
The floor leader and other supporters said the name honors a community leader and longstanding consumer‑protection advocate; they said the naming was intended to honor the individual’s public service rather than a commercial enterprise. The floor took a special‑order motion to advance the bill immediately; after a roll call the motion failed (the clerk recorded 95 votes in the negative and 38 in favor).
Following the procedural defeat, members discussed layover and other procedural options. The presiding officer clarified that with no motion pending the bill would be printed for third reading, and the day’s business moved on.
What’s next: The special‑order motion to advance HB306 failed on the floor. The bill was order‑printed for third reading and will return to the calendar in due course.
