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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="7-511" title_number="7" title_name="Gas, Electric, and Water Companies" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Electric Industry Restructuring">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except for electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>competitive billing shall begin on July 1, 2000;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>competitive metering for large customers shall begin on January 1, 2002; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>competitive metering for all other customers shall begin on April 1, 2002, or earlier if requested by the electric company.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commission shall adopt regulations or issue orders to implement this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person other than an electric company or a municipal electric utility may not engage in the business of competitive billing services in a local jurisdiction that assesses a local energy tax, unless the person holds a license issued by that jurisdiction.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An application for a local competitive billing services license shall be made in accordance with the requirements of the local jurisdiction.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A local jurisdiction may require an applicant or licensee to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>hold a license issued by the Commission, as provided under § 7-507 of this subtitle;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>post a bond or other similar instrument in an amount equal to 15% of the bond required under § 7-507 of this subtitle; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>have a resident agent in the State.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A local jurisdiction may not require an applicant or licensee to pay a fee or other charge for the local license.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A local jurisdiction may revoke or suspend the local license if the licensee fails, within 15 days of the due date established by the local jurisdiction, to pay or remit all of the applicable local energy taxes on services.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A local jurisdiction may reinstate the license after payment of all local energy taxes due.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A local jurisdiction may choose not to reinstate a license that has been revoked or suspended 3 times in a 12-month period.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A local jurisdiction shall report any revocation or suspension of a license to the Commission.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Commission shall adopt regulations or issue an order to establish procedures for the assumption of billing responsibilities by the electric company that distributes electricity in the relevant service territory if a local license is revoked or suspended.</text>
  </level>
</section>
