On February 13, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson submitted testimony before the Finance Committee in opposition of SB 496 – Department of Commerce – Complaint Portal and Annual Report.
This bill requires the Maryland Department of Commerce to create and maintain a complaint portal for reporting when governmental units such as counties take longer than 60 days to process an application for a business license, form, certificate, certification, permit, or registration.
This bill fails to account for legitimate reasons why processing a business license, permit, or certification may exceed 60 days—many of which are beyond a local government’s control.
Various external factors can contribute to delays, including incomplete applications, required state or federal approvals, background checks, public hearing requirements, and applicant response times. By creating a public complaint portal without recognizing these complexities, SB 496 risks unfairly attributing delays to local governments without proper context.
SB 496’s cross-file, HB 1038, was heard on February 25 in the House Economic Matters Committee. Karrington Anderson testified in opposition to this bill.
More on MACo’s Advocacy:
