ANNAPOLIS, Md.- A measure to suspend Maryland's gas tax for 30 days has been signed into law by Gov. Larry Hogan.
State lawmakers gave the bill final approval on Friday morning and the Republican governor signed the legislation on Friday afternoon. The legislation makes Maryland the first state in the nation to enact an immediate suspension of the gas tax.
“This bipartisan action will provide some relief from the pain at the pump and it is possible because of the prudent fiscal steps we have taken, which have resulted in a record budget surplus,” said Hogan. “This is, of course, not a cure-all, and market instability will continue to lead to fluctuations in prices, but we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to provide relief for Marylanders.”
The measure comes as governors and state lawmakers around the nation have been calling to suspend gas taxes, because of skyrocketing prices that could go up even higher after the country cut off Russian oil imports.
The bill suspends Maryland’s gas tax of 36 cents a gallon for 30 days, March 18 through April 16. A driver of a vehicle with a 12-gallon tank could save about $4.32 a fill-up. The measure took effect immediately after Hogan signed it, although it is unclear exactly when the price drop would be seen at most of the state's approximately 2,300 gas stations.
The average price of gas in Maryland was about $4.16 on Friday. The state estimates it would lose about $94 million in revenue under the 30-day suspension.
In addition to Friday's actions, Hogan has expressed support for legislation pending in the General Assembly that would suspend automatic increases in the gas tax, and he has called on the federal administration to increase domestic energy production.