After languishing in the House Economic Matters Committee most of the session, a bill to authorize the Governor to impose price controls on any good or service in Maryland during a state of emergency suddenly has legs.

Although the bill (HB 927) has been pushed for several years by the Attorney General’s office under the guise of combating “price gouging,” the bill would threaten significant fines against a business that sold goods or services at levels above a price control cap during an emergency. The Maryland Chamber has opposed the bill because it would divert needed products from the state to jurisdictions that did not impose such controls, and would subject businesses to shakedown lawsuits.

Contact Ron Wineholt for further information at rwineholt@mdchamber.org .