Maryland Gov First to Sign Bill Providing Gas Tax Relief

Maryland is the first state to pass legislation suspending the collection of its gas tax.

Prior to signing the bill at the state’s capital in Annapolis on Friday, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan touted the bipartisan effort that led to the bill unanimously passing in both houses of the General Assembly.

“As Washington seems to remain divided and gridlocked, Maryland has, once again, shown that we can still come together across party lines to put the people’s priorities first and to deliver real bipartisan commonsense solutions to the serious problems that face us,” Hogan said.

The bill will immediately suspend the state’s gas tax for 30 days.

Hogan warned that while it will provide some relief from pain at the pump, it will not be a “cure-all.”

“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,” Hogan added.

Georgia followed Maryland and temporarily suspended its gas tax Friday, effective through the end of May.

“In the coming days, the suspension of the 29.1 cent tax on motor fuel and 32.6 cent tax on diesel will make its way to the consumer,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said. “Though we can’t fix everything Washington has broken, we’re doing our part to lessen the impact on Georgians’ wallets.”

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Maryland State Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, both Democrats, praised the bipartisan efforts that led to the gas tax relief bill amid “uncertain and unpredictable” times.

“The challenges around gas prices and inflation are certainly, to a degree, uncertain and unpredictable, in part because of the unprovoked Russian aggression in Ukraine,” Ferguson said.

“The dramatic spikes at the gas pump, at the grocery store and elsewhere are hard to ignore,” Jones added. “They quickly remind us that we live in a global economy. We are all connected.”

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Hogan also announced that Maryland is in a strong fiscal position, allowing for discussions about additional tax relief for the state’s families, small businesses, and retirees.