Public Service Commission - Membership - Alterations

HB 651 increases Maryland's Public Service Commission from five to seven commissioners and establishes specific geographic residency requirements for each position. It requires one commissioner to represent Western Maryland (five counties), one for Southern Maryland (three counties), one for the Eastern Shore (nine counties), two for Central Maryland (five counties and Baltimore City), and two for the Capital Region (two counties). The bill also mandates the Commission submit a slate of nominees for the two new Western and Southern Maryland seats to the Governor by August 1, 2025, and alters the process for appointing the Commission's Chair from among its members. These changes take effect July 1, 2025, applying only to future appointments, not current commissioners.