The Odd Couple

In Maryland, certain things just do not go together.  Crabs and milk, Steeler’s fans and Raven’s supporters, dancing and me.*

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Definite lines also exist during the legislative session, and on March 16 there was a pairing as odd as Oscar and Felix.  On that day, lobbyists for the plaintiff’s bar and lobbyists for the insurance industry testified together against a bill.  What could bring these two opposites together?  A bill relating to insurance coverage for rental cars, SB 711.

We wrote about the House version of this bill (HB 1058) on March 7.  On March 16 the Senate Finance Committee heard the Senate version of the bill.  Both sides had re-calibrated their presentations and re-loaded their witness panels in light of the House hearing experience.  The result was lots more fun for observers.

Fundamentally, SB 711 takes the responsibility for insuring a rental car in Maryland away from the rental car company and transfers it to your personal insurance policy.  One supporter, testifying in favor of the bill, was the owner of a Maryland rental car company.  He claims his total insurance costs approach $200,000.  This bill, he claimed, will take that expense off his company, and put it on the mostly out-of-state people who rent a car when they visit Maryland.

Naturally enough, this provoked the committee to ask whether rental rates would be lower if his expenses went down.  Eschewing subtlety, the businessman said 1) the committee had no right to ask him that, 2) that he was a Maryland citizen, 3) that the money he saved would mostly be paid by non-Maryland citizens, 4) that should be the end of it.  Before he could get to 5), the rental car company lobbyist cut him off.

After that self-immolating testimony, the Finance Committee was treated to the “Odd Couple” show of insurance industry lobbyists and plaintiff’s lawyer’s lobbyists united at the witness table.  Both oppose the bill as disadvantages to Maryland victims of accidents by rental car drivers, and the industry noted 10% of Maryland rentals are to Marylanders, and the bill will therefore increase insurance rates.

All in all, the hearing was notable not for its substance, but for its oddities.  The plaintiff/industry testimony was one oddity, the raw political nature of the one presentation was the other.  One amused, one antagonized, forming a third Odd Couple.

Maybe the rental car company guy should join me for dancing lessons.

*This article was written by Mark McCurdy, please don't make assumptions about the rest of our dancing skills.