Meeting on BGE rate hikes violated state law

Four members of the Maryland Public Service Commission violated the state Open Meetings Act by meeting privately with the governor's staff in the middle of the debate over BGE rate hikes, a state compliance board found today.

The ruling by the Open Meetings Law Compliance Board is advisory, and the commissioners face no sanctions.

Four of the PSC's five members met with members of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s staff March 14, just days after the announcement that the commission had approved BGE's plan to increase electricity rates by 72 percent.

After the meeting, The Capital and state Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden,...