KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Maryland

HB0777 • 2026

Motor Vehicles - Required Equipment - Rear Occupant Alert Systems (Hot Cars Act)

Motor Vehicles - Required Equipment - Rear Occupant Alert Systems (Hot Cars Act)

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegates Spiegel , Foley , Kaiser , Kaufman , Palakovich Carr , Ruth , Schindler , Stewart , Terrasa , Tomlinson , and Wims
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
In the House - Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date
2029-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

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

Motor Vehicles - Required Equipment - Rear Occupant Alert Systems (Hot Cars Act)

Prohibiting a person from selling or offering for sale certain motor vehicles manufactured or assembled after a certain date unless the motor vehicle is equipped with a rear occupant alert system; prohibiting the Motor Vehicle Administration from registering a motor vehicle sold in violation of the Act; etc.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibiting a person from selling or offering for sale certain motor vehicles manufactured or assembled after a certain date unless the motor vehicle is equipped with a rear occupant alert system; prohibiting the Motor Vehicle Administration from registering a motor vehicle sold in violation of the Act; 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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 House

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

  2. 2026-02-04 House

    First Reading Environment and Transportation

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Motor Vehicles - Required Equipment - Rear Occupant Alert Systems (Hot Cars Act)

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting a person from selling or offering for sale certain motor vehicles manufactured or assembled after a certain date unless the motor vehicle is equipped with a rear occupant alert system; prohibiting the Motor Vehicle Administration from registering a motor vehicle sold in violation of the Act; 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.
*hb0777*

HOUSE BILL 777
R6 6lr2386

By: Delegates Spiegel, Foley, Kaiser, Kaufman, Palakovich Carr, Ruth, Schindler,
Stewart, Terrasa, Tomlinson, and Wims
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Motor Vehicles – Required Equipment – Rear Occupant Alert Systems 2
(Hot Cars Act) 3

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from selling or offering for sale certain motor 4
vehicles manufactured or assembled after a certain date unless the motor vehicle is 5
equipped with a rear occupant alert system; prohibiting the Motor Vehicle 6
Administration from registering a motor vehicle s old in violation of this Act; and 7
generally relating to motor vehicles and rear occupant alert systems. 8

BY adding to 9
Article – Transportation 10
Section 22–422 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15

Article – Transportation 16

22–422. 17

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “REAR OCCUPANT ALERT SYSTEM” MEANS A SYSTEM 18
THAT ALERTS THE OPER ATOR OF A MOTOR VEHI CLE TO INSPECT THE 19
REAR–DESIGNATED SEATING PO SITIONS OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE AFTER THE 20
OPERATOR DEACTIVATES THE VEHICLE’S ENGINE OR MOTOR. 21

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A MOTOR VEHI CLE WITH 22
REAR–DESIGNATED SEATING POSITIONS THAT IS: 23
2 HOUSE BILL 777

(1) MANUFACTURED OR ASSEM BLED AT LEAST 1 YEAR AFTER THE 1
DATE ON WHICH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION 2
PROMULGATES FINAL RE GULATIONS ESTABLISHI NG STANDARDS FOR REA R 3
OCCUPANT ALERT SYSTEMS; AND 4

(2) REGISTERED, OR OF A TYPE CAPABLE OF BEING REGISTERED, IN 5
THE STATE AS: 6

(I) A CLASS A (PASSENGER) VEHICLE; 7

(II) A CLASS E (TRUCK) VEHICLE; OR 8

(III) A CLASS M (MULTIPURPOSE) VEHICLE. 9

(C) (1) A PERSON MAY NOT SELL OR OFFER FOR SALE IN THE STATE A 10
MOTOR VEHICLE THAT I S TO BE REGISTERED I N THE STATE UNLESS THE MOTO R 11
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A RE AR OCCUPANT ALERT SY STEM THAT MEETS THE 12
REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY 13
ADMINISTRATION. 14

(2) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY NO T REGISTER A MOTOR V EHICLE 15
SOLD IN VIOLATION OF THIS SUBSECTION. 16

(D) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ADOPT REGULATI ONS NECESSARY TO 17
CARRY OUT THE PROVIS IONS OF THIS SECTION , INCLUDING PROCEDURES FOR 18
DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLIANCE AT THE TIME OF SALE OR REGISTRATION. 19

(E) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY NOT ENFORCE THIS SECTION IF A FEDERAL 20
AGENCY DETERMINES IN WRITING THAT ENFORCE MENT OF THIS SECTION WOULD 21
CAUSE THE STATE TO BE INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY FEDERAL FUNDS. 22

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2029. 24