HB 451 extends the reporting deadlines and lifespan of Maryland's Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council. It modifies the schedule for the Council's interim reports (now due December 1 annually through 2031, instead of 2024-2025) and moves the final report deadline to June 30, 2031 (from June 30, 2026). The bill also extends the Council's termination date from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2031, keeping it active for five additional years. This procedural change directly affects the Council's operational timeline but does not alter the Council's purpose or policy recommendations.
HB 419 requires the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to conduct a comprehensive safety review of Maryland Routes 202 and 704 in Prince George’s County. The audit must analyze crash data, identify infrastructure and traffic safety issues, and include recommendations for quick-implementation safety improvements for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, along with community input. MDOT must submit findings and recommendations to Prince George’s County’s state legislative delegation by December 31, 2026. The law takes effect June 1, 2026, and automatically expires on June 30, 2027, making it a temporary measure focused solely on the audit process.
SB 206 allows Prince George's County to use speed monitoring systems on Maryland Route 210 (Indian Head Highway) and requires the Motor Vehicle Administration to suspend vehicle registration for owners who repeatedly fail to pay speeding fines. Specifically, registration must be suspended if a vehicle owner doesn’t pay the civil penalty or contest the violation for at least three overdue speeding citations within 90 days, or for any number of overdue citations totaling $500 or more in fines. The suspension applies only to vehicles involved in violations recorded by these systems on MD Route 210 in Prince George's County. Vehicle owners can request a hearing before suspension and must pay all overdue fines plus a $30 administrative fee to restore registration. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 386 modifies Maryland's funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by requiring the Governor to withhold 35% of annual grants under specific conditions. It directly affects WMATA and Maryland's budget process, mandating that the Governor withhold funds if WMATA fails to submit required reports (like safety assessments and financial data) or if it doesn't develop a rail signaling workforce transition plan by July 2028. The bill also requires WMATA to provide detailed annual reports on safety, ridership, finances, and capital investments to trigger full funding. If WMATA receives a modified audit opinion without a corrective plan, or misses the workforce plan deadline, the Governor must withhold the funds until these conditions are met.
HB 256, the "Vulnerable Road User Protection Act of 2026," authorizes Maryland’s State Highway Administration and local jurisdictions to install speed monitoring systems in designated "safety corridors" to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in high-risk areas. It amends traffic code provisions to create a new category for "safety corridor speed monitoring systems," requiring citations for violations to direct fines to the District Court (not local agencies) and mandating that collected funds support public safety programs like pedestrian safety initiatives. The bill specifies that local governments may recover implementation costs from fines but must use remaining funds exclusively for public safety, not general revenue. This directly affects drivers in safety corridor zones and local governments managing such systems.
HB 394 requires Maryland county school boards to annually identify areas where students live too far from school for bus transportation and list safe walking/biking routes (with sidewalks, crosswalks, or paths) for those students. County governments must then review these reports and construct necessary sidewalks and crosswalks to create these safe routes. The bill applies to all counties and mandates coordination with other entities if county-owned roads aren't sufficient. It directly affects public school students living beyond bus service distance and county governments responsible for infrastructure. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 421 authorizes Prince George's County to install and operate point-to-point speed monitoring systems on Maryland Route 210 (Indian Head Highway) within the county. The bill modifies Maryland law to require that penalties from speed citations issued by these systems go directly to the county (not the state) for uncontested cases, and specifies that collected funds must cover system costs and be spent solely on public safety programs like pedestrian or highway safety initiatives. It adds new language to the Transportation Article to formalize this process for the specific highway segment. The bill directly affects drivers traveling on MD Route 210 in Prince George's County and the county government, which would manage the systems and allocate funds.
HB 601 authorizes the use of stop sign monitoring systems in school zones within the City of Gaithersburg and the City of Rockville, expanding a pilot program previously allowed in Prince George’s County, Baltimore City, and Takoma Park. The bill requires local governments to approve these systems through local law after public hearings and mandates clear signage and public notice before implementation. It specifically limits the systems to school zones on local highways (for cities) or state highways (for the State Highway Administration), and defines "violation" as failing to stop completely at a stop sign. The policy change directly affects drivers navigating stop signs in school zones within these two cities during the pilot period.
SB 155 would allow bicyclists, play vehicle operators, and unicyclists to enter an intersection on a red traffic signal to cross the road when a pedestrian "walk" signal is active for their direction. This applies only after yielding to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection. The bill also clarifies that these operators have pedestrian-like rights while in crosswalks or on sidewalks, requiring them to yield to pedestrians and mobility device users. The law would take effect October 1, 2026, if passed. Currently, the bill is pre-filed and awaiting legislative review.
HB 733 requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to provide real-time audible and text-based announcements for all stops and critical information on every fixed-route transit service (like buses and light rail) starting October 1, 2026. This directly affects all riders using Maryland's fixed-route transit systems by mandating clearer, more accessible stop and service announcements. The key provision, added to Maryland law under Article Transportation §7-720, specifies that announcements must be both audible and text-based to ensure accessibility for all passengers. The bill focuses on standardizing communication without altering service routes or funding.
