2023 LEGISL​ATIVE SESSION

HIGHLIGHTS

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) monitored almost 200 bills during the 2023 Maryland General Assembly session.  This figure represents approximately 8% of the 2,275 bills introduced, and 33% of the 571 bills tracked by MDOT.  51 bills that passed both chambers of the General Assembly will have a direct impact on the MVA.

The following highlights the bills that have passed and will have a direct impact on the MVA, our customers, or other transportation-related issues.

VEHICLE BILLS

Chapter 121 (HB 0123) Vehicle Laws – HOV Lanes – Plug–In Electric Drive Vehicles

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0123

This bill reinstates the HOV permit program for eligible plug-in hybrid/electric drive vehicles and requires an annual report from MVA and State Highway Administration regarding the integrity of traffic flows in HOV lanes on impacted roadways in Maryland.  The program will again abrogate on Sept. 30, 2025.

Effective Date – Upon Enactment

Chapter 561 (HB 0920) Consumer Protection - Motor Vehicle Glass Repair or Replacement - Advanced Driver Assistance System Recalibration

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0920

Establishing consumer protections related to the repair or replacement of motor vehicle glass on motor vehicles equipped with an advanced driver assistance system; and establishing that a violation of the Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice.  MVA implemented regulations related to the legislation.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023

Chapter 441 (SB 0705) Vehicle Laws – Certificate of Title – Surviving Spouse

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0705

A departmental bill which waives the new title fee for a surviving spouse re-titling the vehicle after the death of their spouse even when not otherwise on the title as a co-owner of a household's vehicle.  Previously, only co-owning surviving spouses were eligible for this fee exemption.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023

DRIVER BILLS

Chapter 442 (SB 0709) Motor Vehicles - Commercial Driver's Licenses and Instructional Permits - Revisions

Legislation - SB0709 (maryland.gov)This departmental bill altering the expiration date for a commercial driver's instructional permit held by certain individuals from six months to one year; and exempting a holder of a commercial driver's license who applies for renewal from the requirement to pass a vision test if the holder has a current certificate of physical examination on file with the Motor Vehicle Administration.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023

Penalty Bills

Chapter 451 (HB 0391) Vehicle Laws - Parking Enforcement - Citations

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0391

This bill requires a parking citation issued by a political subdivision, a State agency, or a third-party contractor to include a box that the person issued the citation may check to indicate that the registration plates cited were not issued for the vehicle described in the citation; requiring a political subdivision, State agency, or third-party contractor that receives a parking citation from a person with the box checked to perform a certain verification process and dismiss the citation under certain circumstances.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023

Miscellaneous Bills

Chapter 97 (HB 0230) Department of the Environment - Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Regulations (Clean Trucks Act of 2023)

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0230

This bill requires the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations on or before December 1, 2023, establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles in the State; defining a "heavy-duty vehicle" as one with a gross vehicle weight rating equal to or greater than 14,001 pounds; requiring the Department, in consultation with certain units of State government, to prepare and submit to the General Assembly a certain needs assessment and deployment plan by December 1, 2024.

Effective Date – June 1, 2023

Chapter 535 (SB 0530) Insurance – Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund – Assessments

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0530

This bill alters the formula for the calculation of certain assessments by the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; requires the Board of Trustees of the Fund, under certain circumstances, to authorize the Fund to withdraw certain amounts from the money held by the Fund from a prior overassessment; prohibiting members of the Industry Automobile Insurance Association from being subject to an annual assessment under certain circumstances; and requires in a certain fiscal year that additional funds be allocated to the Fund.

Effective Date – June 1, 2023

Chapter 254 (HB 0556) & Chapter 255 (SB 0516) Cannabis Reform

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0556

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0516?ys=2023RS

This bill renames the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to be the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission; establishes a regulatory and licensing system for adult-use cannabis; imposes the sales and use tax on the sale of adult-use cannabis at certain rates in certain fiscal years; establishes the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Division as an independent unit in the Commission; requires the Division, by July 1, 2023, to convert medical cannabis licenses to licenses to operate a medical and adult-use cannabis business; and other matters.

Effective Date – July 1, 2023

Chapter 98 (HB 0550) Maryland Energy Administration - Energy Programs - Modifications (Clean Transportation and Energy Act)

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0550

This bill alters the Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment Program by extending the duration of the Program through fiscal year 2026, repeals the rebates that may be issued to retail service station dealers and increases the limitation on the total amount of rebates that the Maryland Energy Administration may issue in each fiscal year; alters the Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Grant Program by altering the definition of "grant"; and other matters.

Effective Date – July 1, 2023

Chapter 696 (HB 0018) & Chapter 697 (SB 0851) Maryland General and Limited Power of Attorney Act – Assistance With Governmental Benefits and Programs

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0018

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0851?ys=2023RS

This bill alters a certain statutory form for a general power of attorney by including certain provisions informing the principal and agent of certain matters, granting general authority with respect to tangible personal property and trusts and estates, authorizing the principal to grant the agent certain specific powers relating to successor agents, compensation, gifts or transfers, and opening joint accounts and beneficiary designations, and clarifying the force and effect of the form.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023

Chapter 107 (HB 0636) Public Information Act - Inspection of E-Mail Addresses and Telephone Numbers

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0636

This bill alters the definition of "personal information" for purposes of certain provisions of the Public Information Act to include an individual's personal e-mail address; requiring certain custodians to deny inspection of certain records of personal e-mail addresses and telephone numbers except under certain circumstances; and requiring certain custodians to allow inspection of certain records of business e-mail addresses under the same circumstances as inspection of certain records of business addresses and telephone numbers.

Effective Date – October 1, 2023