A member of the state's top utility regulatory board has been appointed state insurance commissioner.
Therese Goldsmith will assume her new role on June 13, according to an announcement from Gov. Martin O'Malley's office.
The Public Service Commission will soon be setting the schedule to review the merger between Constellation Energy Group and Exelon Corp. The $7.9 billion deal, if approved, would create the largest competitive provider of energy in the United States.
"We're aware of the importance of many matters pending before the PSC and are working to make the replacement as soon as possible," said Takirra Winfield, a spokeswoman for O'Malley.
But the board can make rulings as long as it has a quorum — three of five members present — said Theresa Czarski of the Office of the People's Counsel.
Goldsmith, who was a speech-language pathologist before she became a lawyer, joined the PSC in 2009.
Goldsmith replaces acting insurance commissioner Elizabeth Sammis. She filled in after former insurance commissioner Ralph S. Tyler left in early 2010 to become chief counsel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.