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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.
*hb0669*
HOUSE BILL 669
R1, L6 6lr1631
CF 6lr3676
By: Delegate Pruski Delegates Pruski, Behler, Grammer, Guyton, Healey, and
Lewis
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 18, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Political Subdivisions – Third–Party Road Improvements – Satisfactory 2
Completion 3
State Highway Administration – Third–Party Road Improvements – Required 4
Work Schedule 5
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a political subdivision from issuing a use and occupancy 6
permit to the holder of a permit to complete certain improvements on certain State 7
roads until the improvement is completed to the satisfaction of the State Highway 8
Administration and the political subdivision; authorizing the State Highway 9
Administration to require certain nongovernmental applicants for certain permits to 10
submit a schedule for the work to be performed under the permit; requiring a person 11
issued a certain permit to perform the permitted work in accordance with a certain 12
work schedule; authorizing the Administration to revoke a certain perm it under 13
certain circumstances; providing that certain permit holders and its sureties are 14
liable for certain damages; and generally relating to State road improvements. 15
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
Article – Transportation 17
Section 8–646(a) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
Article – Transportation 22
2 HOUSE BILL 669
Section 8–646(b) 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Transportation 6
8–646. 7
(a) Except as permitted by this section or in accordance with a permit obtained 8
from the Administration, a person may not: 9
(1) Make an opening in any State highway; 10
(2) Place any structure on any State highway; 11
(3) Change or renew any structure placed on any State highway; 12
(4) Dig up any State highway for any purpose, including the placement of 13
pipes, sewers, poles, wires, or rails; 14
(5) Plant or remove any tree on any State highway; or 15
(6) Place any obstruction or improvement on any State highway. 16
(b) (1) The Administration may issue a permit for work otherwise prohibited 17
by subsection (a) of this section. 18
(2) Work done under the permit shall be performed to the satisfaction of 19
the Administration and under its supervision. 20
(3) If the work done under the permit will be performed within 1 mile of 21
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority rail or bus rapid transit stations or 22
Maryland Transit Administration rail or bus rapid transit stations, including Maryland 23
Area Regional Commuter (MARC) stations, the person to whom the permit is issued or by 24
whom the work is done shall maintain a safe alter native pedestrian path at the work site 25
in accordance with regulations adopted under this section. 26
(4) The person to whom the permit is issued or by whom the work is done 27
shall pay the cost of replacing the highway in as good a condition as before the w ork was 28
done. 29
(5) (i) The Administration shall require a nongovernment applicant for 30
a permit issued under this subsection who is a developer to submit a performance bond, 31
letter of credit, or other surety acceptable to the Administration. 32
HOUSE BILL 669 3
(ii) The Administration shall require a nongovernment applicant for 1
a permit issued under this subsection to submit a payment bond, letter of credit, or other 2
surety acceptable to the Administration if: 3
1. The amount of the improvement is estimated to exceed 4
$100,000; 5
2. The project is financed, in whole or in part, by private 6
funds; and 7
3. The entire improvement is located outside the applicant’s 8
property. 9
(6) A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION MAY NOT ISSUE A USE AND OCCUPANCY 10
PERMIT TO A NONGOVER NMENT HOLDER OF A PERMIT A UTHORIZED UNDER THIS 11
SECTION WHO IS REQUI RED TO COMPLETE WORK OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY 12
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION ON A STATE HIGHWAY THAT CA RRIES AN 13
AVERAGE TRAFFIC VOLU ME OF MORE THAN 25,000 VEHICLES A DAY UNTIL THE 14
WORK IS COMPLETE D TO THE SATISFACTIO N OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND TH E 15
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. 16
(6) (I) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY RE QUIRE A 17
NONGOVERNMENTAL APPLICANT FOR A PERMIT I SSUED UNDER THIS SUB SECTION 18
TO SUBMIT, IN A MANNER THAT THE ADMINISTRATION REQUIRES, A SCHEDULE FOR 19
THE WORK TO BE PERFORMED UNDER THE PERMIT. 20
(II) A PERSON ISSUED A PERMIT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION WHO 21
IS REQUIRED TO SUBMI T A SCHEDULE TO THE ADMINISTRATION UNDER 22
SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH: 23
1. SHALL COMPLETE ALL WO RK IN ACCORDANCE WIT H 24
THE SCHEDULE OR ANY EXTENSION THE ADMINISTRATION APPROVES; AND 25
2. IF THE PERSON FAILS T O COMPLETE THE WORK IN 26
ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEDULE OR ANY EXTE NSION THE ADMINISTRATION 27
APPROVES, IS: 28
A. SUBJECT TO REVOCATION OF THE PERMIT; AND 29
B. LIABLE, WITH ITS SURETIES , FOR ALL DAMAGES 30
SUSTAINED BY THE STATE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, INCLUDING ANY COSTS 31
INCURRED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO COMPLETE THE WORK. 32
4 HOUSE BILL 669
(III) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTI CE 1
TO A PERSON WHOSE PERMIT IS REVOKED UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2026. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.