O'Malley won't push energy re-regulation this year

Gov. Martin O'Malley's chief legislative officer confirmed Tuesday that the governor does not plan to introduce an energy re-regulation bill during the session of the General Assembly that starts Wednesday.

Legislation backed by O'Malley (D) to steer Maryland back toward some re-regulation of energy markets passed the Senate but died in a House committee last session. The Associated Press reported Wednesday afternoon that O'Malley would instead rely on the Public Service Commission to use existing authority to order new power generation as needed.

"A lot of things have changed since we adjourned last year," Joseph C. Bryce, O'Malley's top legislative lobbyist, told The Post.

O'Malley told the AP: "Part of the push back from the House leadership has been that we already have the authority to do much of what we're asking them to vote on, and they said: 'Go do it and come back to us if you need more authority,' so that's what we're going to do."