Former Montgomery County delegate Kumar Barve was sworn in Wednesday as the newest member of the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC).

Barve, a Rockville resident, was appointed by Gov. Wes Moore to succeed Commissioner Patrice M. Bubar, who has served since May 18, 2022. Barve is expected to take his seat on the bench in the next week.

Prior to his appointment, Barve had served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1991 until May 1, 2023, holding leadership roles including chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and chair of the Montgomery County House delegation. While in the General Assembly, he worked on issues including environmental regulation, energy generation and conservation, and greenhouse gas reduction. Notably, he was the first Indian American in the country to be elected to a state legislature and has a long-standing relationship with MACo.

“MACo and county governments have had a long history of candid and productive work with Delegate Barve, including his time as a committee chair. He has been a regular at our conferences and events, and has always had both an open door and open mind on local government issues,” Michael Sanderson – Executive Director, MACo

A graduate of Paint Branch High School in Silver Spring, Barve received a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Georgetown University.

The Maryland PSC regulates electric and gas utilities and suppliers, telephone companies (landlines), certain water and sewer companies, passenger motor vehicle carriers for hire (sedans, limousines, buses, Uber, Lyft), taxicab companies (in Baltimore City and County, Charles County, Cumberland and Hagerstown) and bay pilot rates.