Delegate Embry asks Baltimore City delegation to adopt local bill extending consumer-protection statute of limitations

Delegate Embry asked the Baltimore City Senate delegation to approve converting House Bill 1105 into a local Baltimore City bill that would extend the civil statute of limitations for local consumer-protection lawsuits from one year to three.

"This bill is a city priority," Delegate Embry said, describing the request as one to "extend the statute of limitations" for local consumer-protection actions. She said the House amended the measure to make it civil only and that the bill uses the discovery rule — the point when harm is known or reasonably should have been known — to set the limitations period.

Embry told the delegation that some senators had expressed concern in a recent committee hearing about differing local standards across jurisdictions, but she said making the bill local would relieve some objections. She also said the Chamber of Commerce indicated it would withdraw its opposition if the measure applied only to Baltimore City. She referenced a senate companion, SB 979, which she said was currently held in rules.

The chair asked for a motion to adopt the amendment to make HB 1105 a Baltimore City local bill. The delegation approved the amendment by voice vote with multiple "Aye" responses and no recorded opposition; the chair said the amendment would be transmitted onward.

Why it matters: The change would lengthen the time city residents have to bring civil consumer-protection suits under the local ordinance and aligns the local enforcement standard with the discovery rule used in private civil actions. Supporters said the local approach addressed concerns raised about statewide uniformity and helped secure the Chamber of Commerce's agreement to withdraw opposition.

The delegation did not record individual roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript. The chair said the delegated action would be sent to the next procedural step.