Back to Maryland

HB0639 • 2026

Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act)

Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act)

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegates Charkoudian , Allen , Behler , Foley , Lewis , and Stein
Last action
2026-03-07
Official status
In the Senate - First Reading Finance
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.

Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act)

Requiring certain aeronautical service providers that service a flight with detained individuals to request to see a warrant for the detained individual, and to note whether there is a warrant and the type of warrant; requiring certain aeronautical service providers to compile and submit monthly to the Administration certain reports; etc.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring certain aeronautical service providers that service a flight with detained individuals to request to see a warrant for the detained individual, and to note whether there is a warrant and the type of warrant; requiring certain aeronautical service providers to compile and submit monthly to the Administration certain reports; etc.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

303422/1

None • Delegate Szeliga

Floor Amendment { 303422/1 (Delegate Szeliga) Rejected (31-86)

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 639, AS AMENDED (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

  • AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 639, AS AMENDED (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 On page 1, in line 10, after “reports;” insert “prohibiting a fixed base operator or aviation service company from interfering with the transport of a passenger who has an active detainer and a previous conviction of a certain criminal offense;”.
  • AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 On page 4, after line 19, insert: “(D) AN FBO OR AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY MAY NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TRANSPORT OF A PASSENGER WHO: (1) HAS AN ACTIVE DETAINER; AND (2) HAS A PREVIOUS CONVICTION OF: (1) MURDER UNDER § 2-201 OR § 2–204 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; OR (2) A VIOLATION OF: (I) TITLE 3, SUBTITLE 3 (SEXUAL CRIMES) OR SUBTITLE 11 (HUMAN TRAFFICKING) OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; (II) TITLE 9, SUBTITLE 8 (CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS) OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; HB0639/303422/1 BY: Delegate Szeliga HB0639/303422/01 Szeliga Amendments to HB 639 Page 2 of 2 (III) TITLE 10, SUBTITLE 3 (HATE CRIMES) OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; OR (IV) TITLE 11, SUBTITLE 3 (PROSTITUTION AND RELATED CRIMES) OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE.”.
983223/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 983223/1 Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 639 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

  • AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 639 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 On page 1, in the sponsor line, strike “Delegate Charkoudian” and substitute “Delegates Charkoudian, Allen, Behler, Foley, Lewis, and Stein ”; strike beginning with the second “the” in line 4 down through “requiring” in line 6; strike beginning with “to” in line 7 down through “aircraft” in line 8 and substitute “ that service a flight with detained individuals to request to see a warrant for the detained individual, and to note whether there is a warrant and the type of warrant ”; in line 9, strike “compile, and a member of each flight crew to sign,” and substitute “ compile”; strike beginning with “prohibiting” in line 10 down through “services;” in line 14; and in line 23, strike “5–107, 5–108, and 5–1010” and substitute “5–107”.
  • AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 On page 2, strike beginn ing with “ “AERONAUTICAL” in line 14 down through “(3)” in line 20; in lines 22 and 24, strike “ (4)” and “(5)”, respectively, and substitute “(3) (I)” and “(4)”, respectively; and after line 23, insert: “(II) “DETAINED INDIVIDUAL” DOES NOT INCLUDE: 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-20 House

    Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation

  2. 2026-03-10 House

    Third Reading Passed (99-37)

  3. 2026-03-09 House

    Favorable with Amendments { 983223/1 Adopted

  4. 2026-03-09 House

    Motion Special Order until Later This Session (Delegate Szeliga) Adopted

  5. 2026-03-09 House

    Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Szeliga) Adopted

  6. 2026-03-09 House

    Floor Amendment { 303422/1 (Delegate Szeliga) Rejected (31-86)

  7. 2026-03-09 House

    Second Reading Passed with Amendments

  8. 2026-03-07 Senate

    Referred Finance

  9. 2026-02-02 House

    Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m.

  10. 2026-01-30 House

    First Reading Environment and Transportation

  11. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act)

  12. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - House - Committee - Environment and Transportation

  13. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - Third - Transportation - Aviation - Passenger Health and Safety (Aviation Health and Safety Act)

Official Summary Text

Requiring certain aeronautical service providers that service a flight with detained individuals to request to see a warrant for the detained individual, and to note whether there is a warrant and the type of warrant; requiring certain aeronautical service providers to compile and submit monthly to the Administration certain reports; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0639*

HOUSE BILL 639
R2, E4 6lr1940
CF SB 505
By: Delegate Charkoudian Delegates Charkoudian, Allen, Behler, Foley, Lewis,
and Stein
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 9, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Transportation – Aviation – Passenger Health and Safety 2
(Aviation Health and Safety Act) 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Aviation Administration to develop certain 4
passenger forms for aircraft traveling with detained individuals; requiring the flight 5
crew on each aircraft to distribute and collect certain forms; requiring certain 6
aeronautical service providers to confirm that certain forms are on board an aircraft 7
before providing service to the aircraft that service a flight with detained individuals 8
to request to see a warrant for the detained individual, and to note whether there is 9
a warrant and the type of warrant; requiring certain aeronautical service providers 10
to compile, and a member of each flight crew to sign, compile and submit t o the 11
Administration certain reports; prohibiting certain agreements with airlines that 12
transport detained individuals unless certain information is provided; prohibiting 13
the refueling of an aircraft if an individual on board is in any kind of restraint; 14
requiring that a restrained individual who is removed from an aircraft to refuel the 15
aircraft be provided certain services; and generally relating to health and safety of 16
aircraft passengers. 17

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 18
Article – Transportation 19
Section 5–101(a) and (b) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

2 HOUSE BILL 639

BY adding to 1
Article – Transportation 2
Section 5–107, 5–108, and 5–1010 5–107 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 5

Preamble 6

WHEREAS, In the event of an emergency that occurs at an airport facility, the 7
State’s fire, rescue, and emergency medical services, as well as the State’s health care 8
systems, are tasked with responding to these emergencies, and as such the responders and 9
health care systems require medical information about potential patients; now, therefore, 10

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12

Article – Transportation 13

5–101. 14

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 15

(b) “Administration” means the Maryland Aviation Administration. 16

5–107. 17

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 18
INDICATED. 19

(2) “AERONAUTICAL SERVICES” INCLUDES: 20

(I) FUELING, HANGARING, TYING DOWN , OR PARKING AN 21
AIRCRAFT; 22

(II) AIRCRAFT RENTAL; 23

(III) AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE; AND 24

(IV) FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. 25

(3) “AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY” MEANS A SINGLE–SERVICE FIXED 26
BASE OPERATOR (FBO) THAT OFFERS SPECIALIZED AERONAUTICAL SERVICES. 27

(4) (3) (I) “DETAINED INDIVIDUAL” MEANS A PASSENGER WH O 28
IS TRAVELING INVOLUNTARILY OR WHILE BEING HELD IN ANY KIND OF RESTRAINT. 29
HOUSE BILL 639 3

(II) “DETAINED INDIVIDUAL” DOES NOT INCLUDE: 1

1. A PASSENGER WHO IS USI NG A SEAT BELT THAT IS 2
STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE AIRCRAFT; OR 3

2. A CHILD PASSENGER IN A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. 4

(5) (4) “FIXED BASE OPERATOR” OR “FBO” MEANS A COMMERCIAL 5
BUSINESS THAT AN AIRPORT HAS GRANTED THE RIGHT TO: 6

(I) OPERATE AT AN AIRPORT FACILITY; AND 7

(II) PROVIDE AERONAUTICAL SERVICES. 8

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO AN AIRCRAFT TRAVELING WITH A 9
DETAINED INDIVIDUAL. 10

(C) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL DEVELOP A FORM TO BE USED FOR ANY 11
PASSENGER ON AN AIRCRAFT WHO IS A DETAINED INDIVIDUAL THAT: 12

(1) COLLECTS INFORMATION ON: 13

(I) THE INDIVIDUAL’S MEDICAL HISTORY, INCLUDING: 14

1. ALLERGIES; 15

2. CURRENT MEDICAL CONDITIONS; AND 16

3. MEDICATIONS; AND 17

(II) THE INDIVIDUAL’S LEGAL HISTORY, INCLUDING: 18

1. CONTACT INFORMATION F OR THE INDIVIDUAL ’S 19
ATTORNEY; AND 20

2. ANY PENDING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS; 21

(2) IDENTIFIES WHETHER TH E INDIVIDUAL IS A MI NOR AND, IF SO , 22
PROVIDES GUARDIANSHIP INFORMATION IF THE GUARDIAN IS NOT ON B OARD THE 23
AIRCRAFT; 24

4 HOUSE BILL 639

(3) STATES THAT THE FORMS WILL BE REVIEWED BY AN FBO OR AN 1
AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY AND, IN THE CASE OF AN EM ERGENCY, SHARED WITH 2
EMERGENCY RESPONDERS; 3

(4) INFORMS THE INDIVIDUA L THAT COMPLETION OF THE FORM IS 4
VOLUNTARY; AND 5

(5) FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CHOOSES NOT TO COMPLETE THE FORM, 6
CONTAINS A SPACE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO AFFIRMATIVELY INDICATE THAT THEY 7
HAVE SEEN THE FORM AND ARE CHOOSING NOT TO COMPLETE THE FORM. 8

(D) COPIES OF THE FORM DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION 9
SHALL BE: 10

(1) KEPT ON BOARD EACH AIRCRAFT; AND 11

(2) IN THE EVENT OF AN EM ERGENCY, PROVIDED TO EMERGENC Y 12
RESPONDERS OR HOSPITALS IN THE STATE. 13

(E) THE FLIGHT CREW ON EA CH AIRCRAFT SHALL DI STRIBUTE AND 14
COLLECT THE FORMS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION FROM EACH 15
DETAINED PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. 16

(F) BEFORE PROVIDING SERV ICE TO AN AIRCRAFT , EACH FBO OR 17
AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY SHALL INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT TO CONFIRM THAT THE 18
FORMS DESCRIBED IN S UBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION ARE ON BOARD THE 19
AIRCRAFT. 20

(B) IF AN FBO OR AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY SERVICES A FLIGHT WITH 21
A DETAINED INDIVIDUA L ON BOARD , THE FBO OR AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY 22
SHALL: 23

(1) REQUEST TO SEE THE WA RRANT THAT AUTHORIZE S THE 24
TRANSPORT OF THE DETAINED INDIVIDUAL; AND 25

(2) NOTE WHETHER THERE IS A WARRANT , AND WHETHER THE 26
WARRANT IS A JUDICIAL WARRANT OR AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT. 27

(G) (C) (1) EACH FBO OR AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY SHALL: 28

(I) (1) COMPILE A REPORT THAT DOCUMENTS, FOR EACH 29
AIRCRAFT TRAVELING WITH A DETAINED INDIVIDUAL: 30

HOUSE BILL 639 5

1. THE AGENCY OR COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 1
AIRCRAFT; 2

2. THE PRESENCE OF THE F ORMS DESCRIBED IN 3
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION; AND 4

3. COMPLIANCE WITH § 5–1010 OF THIS TITLE ; 5
DOCUMENTS: 6

(I) THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS: 7

1. THE FBO OR AVIATION SERVICE COMPANY SERVICED 8
THAT HAD A DETAINED INDIVIDUAL ON BOARD; 9

2. THAT HAD A JUDICIAL W ARRANT FOR ALL DETAINED 10
INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD; 11

3. THAT HAD A JUDICIAL W ARRANT AND AN 12
ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT FOR DETAINED INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD; 13

4. THAT HAD DETAINED IND IVIDUALS ON BOARD AN D 14
WERE REFUELED WITH DETAINED INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD; AND 15

5. WHERE THE DETAINED INDIVIDUALS WERE REMOVED 16
FROM THE PLANE DURING REFUELING, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REFUELING SAFETY; 17
AND 18

(II) ANY FLIGHT THAT DOES NOT HAVE A WARR ANT FOR 19
DETAINED INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD; AND 20

(II) (2) SUBMIT MONTHLY TO THE ADMINISTRATION THE 21
REPORTS DESCRIBED IN THIS SUBSECTION. 22

(2) A MEMBER OF EACH FLIGH T CREW AND FBO OR AVIATION 23
SERVICE COMPANY SHAL L SIGN EACH REPORT D ESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (1) OF 24
THIS SUBSECTION. 25

5–108. 26

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 27
INDICATED. 28

(2) “AVIATION SERVICE COMP ANY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 29
5–107 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 30
6 HOUSE BILL 639

(3) “DETAINED INDIVIDUAL” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 5–107 1
OF THIS SUBTITLE. 2

(4) “FIXED BASE OPERATOR” OR “FBO” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED 3
IN § 5–107 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 4

(5) “PERSON” INCLUDES: 5

(I) THE STATE; 6

(II) A COUNTY, A MUNICIPAL CORPORAT ION, OR ANY OTHER 7
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION; AND 8

(III) A UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT OR A POLITICAL 9
SUBDIVISION. 10

(B) A PERSON MAY NOT ENTER INTO A CONTRACT , GRANT, OR OTHER 11
AGREEMENT WITH AN AIRLINE THAT TRANSPORTS DETAINED INDIVIDUALS UNLESS 12
THE AIRLINE PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF: 13

(1) A VALID WARRANT ISSUED BY A FEDERAL COURT O R COURT OF 14
THE STATE; 15

(2) A VALID COURT ORDER; OR 16

(3) THE GOVERNOR’S AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXTRADITION OF THE 17
DETAINED INDIVIDUAL TO ANOTHER STATE. 18

(C) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY NOT ENTER INTO A CONTR ACT, GRANT, OR 19
OTHER AGREEMENT WITH AN FBO OR AN AVIATION SERVI CE COMPANY THAT 20
SERVICES AIRLINES TH AT TRANSPORT DETAINE D INDIVIDUALS THROUG H 21
BALTIMORE–WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL THURGOOD MARSHALL AIRPORT 22
UNLESS THE AIRLINE PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF: 23

(1) A VALID WARRANT ISSUED BY A FEDERA L COURT OR COURT OF 24
THE STATE; 25

(2) A VALID COURT ORDER; OR 26

(3) THE GOVERNOR’S AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXTRADITION OF THE 27
DETAINED INDIVIDUAL TO ANOTHER STATE. 28

HOUSE BILL 639 7

5–1010. 1

(A) AN AIRCRAFT MAY NOT BE REFUELED IF AN INDIVIDUAL ON BOARD THE 2
AIRCRAFT IS IN ANY KIND OF RESTRAINT. 3

(B) IF A RESTRAINED INDIV IDUAL IS REMOVED FRO M AN AIRCRAFT FOR 4
THE AIRCRAFT TO REFUEL, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL: 5

(1) BE PLACED IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENCLOSURE; AND 6

(2) HAVE ACCESS TO RESTROOMS AND WATER. 7

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2026. 9

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.