HB0544 • 2026

Vehicle Laws - Cannabis Use in Motor Vehicle With Minor Occupant - Prohibition

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates R. Long , Arentz , Beauchamp , Ghrist , Hutchinson , Jacobs , and Mangione
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Vehicle Laws - Cannabis Use in Motor Vehicle With Minor Occupant - Prohibition

Prohibiting an individual from smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis in the passenger area of a motor vehicle in which a minor is an occupant.

What This Bill Does

Prohibiting an individual from smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis in the passenger area of a motor vehicle in which a minor is an occupant.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-29 House
Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-27 House
First Reading Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Vehicle Laws - Cannabis Use in Motor Vehicle With Minor Occupant - Prohibition

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting an individual from smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis in the passenger area of a motor vehicle in which a minor is an occupant.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0544*

HOUSE BILL 544
R7, E1 6lr1586
HB 1392/25 – JUD
By: Delegates R. Long, Arentz, Beauchamp, Ghrist, Hutchinson, Jacobs, and
Mangione
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Vehicle Laws – Cannabis Use in Motor Vehicle With Minor Occupant – 2
Prohibition 3

FOR the purpose of prohibiting an individual from smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis 4
in the passenger area of a motor vehicle in which a minor is an occupant ; and 5
generally relating to cannabis use in a motor vehicle. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 21–903.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Transportation 14

21–903.1. 15

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17

(2) “CANNABIS” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 5–101 OF THE 18
CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE. 19

(3) “PASSENGER AREA” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 21–903 OF 20
THIS SUBTITLE. 21

2 HOUSE BILL 544

(B) AN INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT SMOKE, VAPE, OR CONSUME CANNABIS IN THE 1
PASSENGER AREA OF A MOTOR VEHICLE IN WHICH A MINOR IS AN OCCUPANT. 2

(C) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO VIO LATES THIS SECTION I S GUILTY OF A 3
MISDEMEANOR AND ON C ONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT 4
EXCEEDING 1 YEAR OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000 OR BOTH. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That th is Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2026. 7