Consumer Rights

Alcoholic Beverages – Direct Wine Shipment (HB 1175):

For four years, I have led the effort in the Maryland House to give consumers in Maryland the same rights consumers already enjoy in 37 other states and DC — the right to order wine shipped directly to their homes and businesses. We finally succeeded in passing the bill this session. Speaker Mike Busch, Economic Matters Committee Chairman Dereck Davis and Senator Jamie Raskin all helped to build support for the bill that helped get it over the final hurdle this year. Read more about this bill at BizJournals.com here.

Consumer Protection – Household Goods Movers – Estimates and Charges (HB 1134):

Too often in Maryland, a moving company will offer a family a low bid to get their business, and then charge two or three times the estimate to complete the move. The vulnerable consumer is in no position to negotiate with a moving company that has possession of all their property, so they pay the inflated charges in order to recover their goods without damage. Together with the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, I introduced and passed this legislation, which requires moving companies to provide a written estimate to consumers before providing services, and prevents the final charge from exceeding 125% of the written estimate.