ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- State Delegate Warren Miller (R) recently announced a bill to repeal Maryland price-floor requirements on gasoline and reduce consumer prices at the pump, reported Southern Maryland Online.
The current law, enacted in 2001, creates a minimum price at which gasoline may be sold. Gas stations may not legally sell below this minimum price. Retailers are prohibited from selling below-cost or engaging in price wars.
Under Miller's bill, the report said, these prohibitions would be removed and dealers would set their [image-nocss] own prices. The new bill allows the free market economy to regulate prices as opposed to using artificial price controls. Greater competition among gas stations means lower prices for Marylanders, said Miller.
Miller expects wide support for this measure, according to the report. He has already received inquiries regarding his bill and has signed on eight other delegates as co-sponsors, it said.
This is a nonpartisan issue, Miller said, After Hurricane Katrina, gas prices were much higher in Maryland than in neighboring states. We need this law to protect Maryland from price gouging.
Miller's bill (HB 127) is entitled Business Regulation: Motor Fuel, Below-Cost Sales.
Click here for the full text of the bill. http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/billfile/hb0127.htm.
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