HB1391 • 2026

Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program - Testing and Inspection - Grounds for Failure

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Delegates Howard , Adams , Anderson , Arentz , Beauchamp , Buckel , Ciliberti , Hornberger , Hutchinson , Jacobs , McComas , Miller , T. Morgan , Reilly , Rose , Schmidt , Tomlinson , and Wivell
Last action: 2026-02-13
Official status: In the House - Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 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 Emissions Inspection Program - Testing and Inspection - Grounds for Failure

Clarifying that a motor vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an emissions equipment and misfueling inspection if the emissions equipment is not present or the vehicle has been misfueled; and providing that a vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an exhaust emissions test only if the vehicle is not in compliance with an applicable emissions standard.

What This Bill Does

Clarifying that a motor vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an emissions equipment and misfueling inspection if the emissions equipment is not present or the vehicle has been misfueled; and providing that a vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an exhaust emissions test only if the vehicle is not in compliance with an applicable emissions standard.

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

2026-02-13 House
First Reading Environment and Transportation
2026-02-13 House
Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m.
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program - Testing and Inspection - Grounds for Failure

Official Summary Text

Clarifying that a motor vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an emissions equipment and misfueling inspection if the emissions equipment is not present or the vehicle has been misfueled; and providing that a vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass an exhaust emissions test only if the vehicle is not in compliance with an applicable emissions standard.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1391*

HOUSE BILL 1391
R6 6lr1672
HB 1532/25 – HRU
By: Delegates Howard, Adams, Anderson, Arentz, Beauchamp, Buckel, Ciliberti,
Hornberger, Hutchinson, Jacobs, McComas, Miller, T. Morgan, Reilly, Rose,
Schmidt, Tomlinson, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program – Testing and Inspection – Grounds for 2
Failure 3

FOR the purpose of clarifying that a motor vehicle may be determined to have failed to pass 4
an emissions equipment and misfueling inspection or an exhaust emissions test only 5
for certain reasons; and general ly relating to the Vehicle Emissions Inspection 6
Program. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 23–202(b)(1) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

BY adding to 13
Article – Transportation 14
Section 23–204.1 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19

Article – Transportation 20

23–202. 21

2 HOUSE BILL 1391

(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, the emissions control 1
program shall provide for a biennial exhaust emissions test and emissions equipment and 2
misfueling inspection for all vehicles of the 1977 model year and each model year thereafter. 3

23–204.1. 4

A FACILITY ESTABLISHED OR APPROVED UNDER § 23–303 OF THIS TITLE MAY 5
NOT DETERMINE THAT A MOTOR VEHICLE HAS FA ILED TO PASS A TEST OR 6
INSPECTION REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN A 7
DETERMINATION THAT: 8

(1) FOR AN EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT AND MISFUELING INSPECTION: 9

(I) REQUIRED EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT IS NOT PRESENT; OR 10

(II) THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MISFUELED; OR 11

(2) FOR AN EXHAUST EMISSI ONS TEST, THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT 12
IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN APPLICABLE EMISSIONS STANDARD. 13

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 14
October 1, 2026. 15