Driver Licensing – Self–Reporting of Medical Conditions

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.
*hb0646*

HOUSE BILL 646
R4 6lr1212

By: Delegates Guyton and Korman, Korman, Grammer, Holmes, Lewis, and Odom
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 6, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Driver Licensing – Self–Reporting of Medical Conditions 2

FOR the purpose of requiring that a medical provider report or physician referral be the 3
primary factor in the Motor Vehicle Administration’s decision on whether to issue, 4
refuse, or cancel suspend a driver’s license for driver’s license holders or applicants 5
who self –report a diagnosis of certain medical conditions , subject to a certain 6
exception; authorizing the Administration in its discretion to require additional 7
documentation, written statemen ts, or other materials related to a diagnosis 8
disclosed by a licensee or an applicant or indicated on forms subsequently submitted 9
to the Administration following disclosure and to require testing of a licensee or an 10
applicant who provides notice of a diag nosis; requiring the Administration to 11
establish an expedited process for the issuance of a learner’s instructional permit 12
under certain circumstances to an individual who self–reports a diagnosis; requiring 13
the Administration to examine its current practi ces for medical case review and 14
report to the General Assembly by a certain date; and generally relating to 15
individuals who self–report a diagnosis of a medical condition to the Motor Vehicle 16
Administration. 17

BY adding to 18
Article – Transportation 19
Section 16–119.1 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 23
2 HOUSE BILL 646

That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 1

Article – Transportation 2

16–119.1. 3

(A) WHEN A LICENSEE OR AN APPLICANT FOR A DRIV ER’S LICENSE 4
NOTIFIES THE ADMINISTRATION AS REQUIRED UNDER REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY 5
THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THE LICENSEE OR APPLI CANT HAS BEEN DIAGNO SED 6
WITH A MEDICAL CONDI TION LISTED IN THAT REGULATION THE REGULATIONS, A 7
MEDICAL PROVIDER REP ORT OR A PHYSICIAN R EFERRAL, AS NEEDED , SHALL BE 8
THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN THE ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION ON WHETHER TO ISSUE, 9
REFUSE, OR CANCEL SUSPEND THE DRIVER’S LICENSE UNLESS LAW ENFORCEMENT 10
FILES A REQUEST FOR REEXAMINATION OF THE LICENSEE OR APPLICANT. 11

(B) THE ADMINISTRATION IN ITS DISCRETION MAY REQUI RE ADDITIONAL 12
TESTING: 13

(1) DOCUMENTATION, WRITTEN STATEMENTS, OR OTHER MATERIALS 14
RELATED TO A DIAGNOS IS OF A LICENSEE OR AN APPLICANT OR INDI CATED ON 15
FORMS SUBSEQUENTLY S UBMITTED TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOW ING 16
DISCLOSURE; AND 17

(2) TESTING OF A LICENSEE OR AN APPLICANT WHO PROVID ES 18
NOTICE OF A DIAGNOSIS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 19

(C) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ESTABLISH AN EXPEDIT ED 20
PROCESS FOR THE I SSUANCE OF A LEARNER ’S INSTRUCTIONAL PERM IT TO AN 21
INDIVIDUAL: 22

(I) WHOSE LICENSE HAS BEE N REFUSED OR SUSPENDED OR 23
CANCELED DUE TO A DIAGNOSIS OF A MEDICAL CONDITION; 24

(II) WHOSE MEDICAL CONDITI ON HAS IMPROVED SUCH THAT 25
THE INDIVIDUAL IS MEDICALLY QUALIFIED TO OBTAIN A DRIVER’S LICENSE; AND 26

(III) WHO IS REQUIRED TO CO MPLETE A DRIVER EDUC ATION 27
PROGRAM OR TAKE A DRIVER KNOWLEDGE OR SKILLS EXAMINATION. 28

(2) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ISSUE A LEARNER ’S 29
INSTRUCTIONAL PERMIT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS S UBSECTION THAT IS 30
VALID FOR A REASONAB LE PERIOD OF TIME TO ALLOW THE INDIVIDUAL TO 31
COMPLETE THE NECESSA RY DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAM OR TAKE THE 32
NECESSARY DRIVER KNOWLEDGE OR SKILLS EXAMINATION. 33
HOUSE BILL 646 3

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 1

(1) on or before December 1, 2026, the Motor Vehicle Administration shall 2
examine its current practices for medical case review; 3

(2) the examination shall consider current Administration practices in 4
comparison with industry best practices, including streamlining case review and using 5
electronic communication where permissible; and 6

(3) on or before December 1, 2026, the Motor Vehicle Administration shall 7
report its findings and recommendations under the examination, in accordance with § 8
2–1257 of the State Gov ernment Article, to the General Assembly, including any changes 9
adopted or to be adopted by the Administration as a result of the examination. 10

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2026. 12

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