Section 1-203.1 - Waiver of consumer liability; utility providers. - Maryland Statutes

§ 1-203.1. Waiver of consumer liability; utility providers.
 

(a)  Definitions.-  

(1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 

(2) (i) "Utility provider" means: 

1. a public or private provider of electricity, gas, water, wastewater, solid waste collection, or similar service; or 

2. a provider of communications services involving the transmission, conveyance, or routing of voice, data, audio, video, or any other information or signals, to a point, or between or among points, by or through an electronic, radio, satellite, cable, optical, microwave, or other medium or method in existence now or in the future, regardless of the protocol used for transmission. 

(ii) "Utility provider" includes cable service, Internet access service, voice over Internet service, telephone or wireless telephone service, and other similar providers. 

(3) "Waiver of customer liability" means an optional agreement: 

(i) between a utility provider and a customer of the utility provider; 

(ii) that is contained in: 

1. the agreement under which the utility provider provides services to the customer; or 

2. a separate agreement between the utility provider and the customer; and 

(iii) under which the utility provider agrees, in return for a specified charge payable by the customer to the utility provider, to waive all or part of the customer's liability to the utility provider for incurred charges during a defined period in the event of any of the following qualifying events or conditions involving the customer: 

1. call to active military service; 

2. involuntary unemployment; 

3. death; 

4. disability; 

5. hospitalization; 

6. marriage; 

7. divorce; 

8. evacuation; 

9. displacement due to natural disaster or other cause; 

10. qualification for family leave; or 

11. any other similar event or condition. 

(b)  In general.- Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, a waiver of customer liability is not considered insurance for purposes of this article. 
 

[2006, ch. 594.]