Press Release: Jan 27, 2026

“At the end of the day, this is a hidden energy tax: Marylanders are overpaying because of Democratic mandates.”- Senator Steve Hershey

Republican Leaders: Governor’s “Lower Bills” Plan Is Misleading, Offers No Real

Relief from Maryland’s Energy Crisis

Annapolis, MD.:

Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey and Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready today responded to Governor Moore’s announcement of the so-called Lower Bills and Local Power Act, calling the proposal misleading, unserious, and incapable of delivering meaningful relief to Maryland families facing rapidly rising energy costs.

“Marylanders are in the middle of an energy crisis, and this plan offers neither short-term relief nor a long-term solution,” said Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey. “The Governor’s proposal is built on talking points, not substance. Its title promises lower bills and local power, but this legislation will not achieve either for Marylanders.”

Hershey said the Governor’s announcement ignores a fundamental truth: Marylanders are already paying higher electric bills because of Democratic energy mandates. “Instead of a balanced, all-of-the-above energy strategy, Marylanders are getting more mandates, more transmission spending, and more dependence on out-of-state energy,” Hershey added. “That’s not energy independence — and it certainly won’t lower bills.” “What the Governor also failed to mention today is that his newly introduced budget has already diverted nearly $300 million from the Strategic Energy and Investment Fund (SEIF) to help fund overspending in Annapolis — creating $292 million in additional ratepayer costs that are now propping up the General Fund,” Hershey said. “At the end of the day, this is a hidden energy tax: Marylanders are overpaying because of Democratic mandates, and instead of giving that money back or fixing the policies that caused the problem, the Governor is using it to fund government operations. That is not energy relief — it’s a shell game.”

“The SEIF has become a holding account for money taken from ratepayers through state energy mandates,” Hershey said. “These are dollars Marylanders have already overpaid because of policies passed by Democratic leaders in Annapolis.” Hershey explained that SEIF is funded primarily through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and Alternative Compliance Payments (ACPs) are essentially fines. When suppliers are unable to acquire enough renewable energy to satisfy Maryland’s mandates, those penalties are recovered through higher electricity supply costs and passed directly on to ratepayers.

Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready said the Governor’s proposal further entrenches Maryland’s dependence on out-of-state power while doing little to increase reliable in-state generation. “This plan makes it clear that Maryland is being turned into a transmission state, not a generation state,” said Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready. “The Governor is spending money ratepayers have already paid to upgrade transmission lines so we can import electricity from Pennsylvania, rather than producing reliable power here at home.”

Ready noted that the administration’s generation strategy is limited almost entirely to solar, while ignoring reliable, dispatchable energy sources. “Solar alone cannot meet Maryland’s energy needs, especially during peak demand,” Ready said. “The Governor’s plan fails to invest in reliable thermal generation, like natural gas, that can come online quickly, stabilize the grid, and actually lower costs.”

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