Committee hears bipartisan bill to bar fine‑print waivers of statutory and punitive damages

Delegate Vaughn Stewart presented HB 103 as a bipartisan measure to prevent companies from burying clauses in consumer contracts that purport to waive statutory or punitive damages. "When the legislature designates a statutory period or a remedy, companies should not be able to remove that right in fine print," Stewart said, calling the bill a clarification of prevailing public‑policy law.

The National Association of Consumer Advocates supported the bill as a modest, necessary step toward redressing abusive contract provisions that deny remedies to harmed consumers. Proponents argued that courts in other jurisdictions have held similar waiver provisions void as against public policy and that codifying the rule would provide clarity.

Industry witnesses sought adjustments. Bruce Berriano of the Maryland Self Storage Association asked for an exemption for self‑storage arrangements given their short‑term rental dynamics and existing bold‑print statutory protections. Grayson Wiggins of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce proposed technical amendments related to available insurance coverage and to preserve certain existing exemptions for federally‑regulated entities.

Stewart said he had negotiated earlier with bankers and commerce groups and that the bill before the committee reflected concessions; he invited continued dialogue on unresolved concerns. The committee concluded the hearing without an immediate vote.