Pressure Mounts For Md. Lawmakers To Hold Special Session On Gas Tax Holiday

There are new calls for a gas tax holiday in Maryland.

State Comptroller Peter Franchot, who is a Democratic candidate for Governor this year, has asked presiding officers of the U.S. Congress and Maryland General Assembly to enact federal and state gas tax holidays. President Biden supports a three-month gas tax holiday.

A 30-day Maryland gas tax holiday expired in mid-April.

“As Maryland’s chief fiscal officer and motor fuel regulator, I call on the leadership of the Congress and – once again – call on the leadership of the Maryland General Assembly to act expeditiously and enact a gas tax holiday until the end of September,” Franchot wrote. “If both Congress and the General Assembly heed the President’s – and your constituents’ – call to action, residents and businesses here in Maryland will save nearly $550 million over the next three months. These are significant savings for Marylanders, families, and small businesses who are seeing their household budgets and business margins decimated through no fault of their own.”

Governor Larry Hogan has also urged Congress to take action, and he has called upon the State Comptroller to use the same authority he has in the past to minimize the impact of an automatic gas tax increase that is scheduled to take effect July 1st – the end of next week. Hogan has called upon presiding officers of the General Assembly to convene a special session for the sole purpose of passing emergency legislation to suspend the gas tax.

“Today, we are also again calling on Democratic leaders in Maryland to take action to address rising gas prices. We are once again calling on the Comptroller to use the same authority he has in the past in order to minimize the impact of the gas tax increase scheduled for July 1. We are again calling on the presiding officers of the General Assembly to convene a special session for the express and sole purpose of passing emergency legislation to suspend the gas tax. I am prepared to swiftly sign a gas tax suspension into law,” Hogan said. “There is no reason why we cannot come together and get this done before the July 4th holiday to provide much-needed relief for the crushing costs burdening families and businesses.”

Maryland House Republicans have also urged that a special session be convened.

“Nearly a month ago, we wrote to the Governor and the leadership of the General Assembly urging them to call a Special Session to stop the automatic increase in the gas tax and to resume a gas tax holiday,” House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Allegany Co. said. “Today, leaders at all levels of government and across the political spectrum see the suspension of gas taxes as a way to help citizens cope with rising gas prices. The time to do this is now. Why are Maryland’s Democrats refusing to help our citizens?”