HB 1481 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Disability Services - Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program - Established

HB 1481 establishes Maryland's Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program to provide modified vehicles to eligible individuals who require a wheelchair for mobility, are licensed drivers, and qualify to operate adapted vehicles. The Department of Disabilities will administer the program, prioritizing participants in areas with limited public transportation access, and solicit donations of vehicles, modification services, and funds to support it. The bill requires the department to study the program's impacts on participants' independence, mobility, job opportunities, and reliance on public subsidies, with a final report due by December 1, 2028. The pilot program is set to run for five years, ending automatically on September 30, 2030.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Feb 7, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025

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What changed between versions

First - Disability Services - Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program - Established → Third - Disability Services - Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program - Established · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add more sponsors, update the program's purpose to include mobility aids, and strengthen donation solicitation language. The changes also add data privacy protections for program recipients and clarify the definitions of key terms.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include mobility aids alongside wheelchairs and to allow the department to actively apply for donations rather than just solicit them.

ELIGIBILITY

Added 'mobility aid' to the definition of who qualifies for adapted vehicles, broadening eligibility beyond just wheelchair users.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'donation' to explicitly include voluntary transfer of property, services, or funds.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the department to make reasonable efforts to anonymize data when reporting to protect recipient privacy.

FISCAL

Changed language from 'solicit donations' to 'solicit request, apply for, and facilitate certain donations' to clarify the department's active role in securing funding.

TECHNICAL

Added multiple new sponsors to the bill, expanding the coalition of legislators supporting the program.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 16, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 8, 2025

How they voted

46–0

Passed

Total votes 46

Mar 16, 2025

D Democratic33

33 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 393

executive

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Finance

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Finance

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 16, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (46-0)

senate

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Mar 8, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-1-3)

house of delegates

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

First Reading Health and Government Operations

lower

25 primary · 0 co-sponsors