Do you live in Maryland? Are you paying a ridiculously large increase in your energy costs this year? It probably has something to do with the electricity deregulation legislation that passed in 1999.

It's been a boon for companies like Constellation Energy and Baltimore Gas & Electric, but has reaked havoc on the pocketbooks on a majority of Maryland families.

Public Campaign, Common Cause, and Progressive Maryland released a new report today in Annapolis, MD highlighting the correlation between deregulation's passage (and failures to fix the problem) and campaign contributions from the industry. From the report:

While the electric utility industry representatives refuse to meet with the Commission, they aren't shy about communicating to legislators-they just prefer to do it with campaign cash. The electric utility industry has donated heavily to legislative candidates over the past ten years. Candidates and slate committees in Maryland have received more than $1 million in campaign contributions since 1998 from electric utility companies, their employees, and Political Action Committees (PACs). Lobbyists representing energy companies in Annapolis have given an additional $114,000.

Marylanders must be concerned about the access and influence of campaign contributors when bad legislation like this passes.

You can also read the press release here. Tomorrow, we'll have some pictures up from the event.