HB 194 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Consumer Protection - Retail Sales - Payment or Reimbursement of Shipping Costs

HB 194 requires merchants to refund consumers' full shipping costs within 30 days if a customer receives an incorrect item during a retail sale. This applies to any merchant selling consumer goods directly to a buyer for personal use, not for resale. Violating this rule would be treated as an unfair or deceptive trade practice under Maryland's existing consumer protection law, subject to enforcement and penalties. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jun 2024

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jun 26, 2024 Last action Mar 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Consumer Protection - Retail Sales - Reimbursement of Shipping Costs → Third - Consumer Protection - Retail Sales - Payment or Reimbursement of Shipping Costs · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand consumer protection by allowing merchants to either provide a prepaid shipping label or refund shipping costs when consumers receive incorrect, damaged, faulty, or error-sent items. The amendment clarifies the merchant's obligation to offer a prepaid shipping label as an alternative to a cash refund, and adds specific conditions about the item's condition upon return.

Scope change

The bill now covers a broader range of scenarios, including items that are damaged, faulty, or sent in error, in addition to just incorrect items.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the types of incorrect items covered to include items that are damaged, faulty, or sent in error, not just incorrect items.

REQUIREMENT

Added the option for merchants to provide a prepaid shipping label instead of a cash refund for shipping costs.

Added a requirement that returned items must be in their original condition for the merchant to provide a refund.

ENFORCEMENT

Added an exception to enforcement penalties, excluding Section 13-411 of the article.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 14, 2025

How they voted

95–36

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 137

Feb 14, 2025

D Democratic98

93 Yea 5

94% Yea

R Republican39

2 Yea 36 Nay 1

92% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Finance

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Motion Special Order until 02/12 (Delegate Szeliga) Adopted

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Economic Matters

lower

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Economic Matters

lower

Jun 26, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors