Business Regulation - Cellular Phone Carriers - Authorized Users
Summary
SB 846 requires cellular phone carriers that offer service contracts to include an option allowing more than one customer of record to alter, modify, or cancel the contract without the agreement of the other customers of record, so long as all customers of record agree in writing to that arrangement when the contract is executed. The bill also requires carriers to let the customer responsible for payment designate other individuals as authorized users on the account.
In addition, an authorized user may be permitted to purchase services or devices, or take other actions under the service contract, but only to the extent the authorization specifically allows it. The measure is aimed at giving account holders more flexibility in managing shared wireless accounts and clarifying the authority of non-owner users on those accounts.
Impact
The bill adds new Section 19-108 to the Maryland Business Regulation Article, creating a statutory requirement for cellular phone carriers that offer service contracts. It changes carrier contract practices by mandating an account-management option for multiple customers of record and by requiring carriers to support authorized-user designations and related account actions. The law affects wireless carriers, primary account holders, co-account holders, and authorized users, and it takes effect October 1, 2025.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate 47-0 and the House 136-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. No committee transcript was provided, but the voting record suggests general agreement that the bill addresses a practical consumer-account issue without significant opposition.
Contention
No notable substantive contention is evident in the available record. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are how much authority to give authorized users and whether multiple customers of record should be able to act independently on a shared account once they have agreed in writing. Any potential concerns would likely center on consumer protection, account security, and carrier implementation, but the unanimous votes suggest those issues did not generate visible opposition during passage.