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HB1496 • 2026

Vehicle Laws – Causing Serious Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual

Vehicle Laws – Causing Serious Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegates Adams , Anderson , Arentz , Beauchamp , McComas , and Rose
Last action
2026-02-13
Official status
In the House - Hearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

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

Vehicle Laws – Causing Serious Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual

Altering the definition of "vulnerable individual" to exclude an individual who is riding a motorcycle for purposes of the prohibition on causing the serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain rules of the road.

What This Bill Does

  • Altering the definition of "vulnerable individual" to exclude an individual who is riding a motorcycle for purposes of the prohibition on causing the serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain rules of the road.

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. 2026-02-13 House

    First Reading Environment and Transportation

  2. 2026-02-13 House

    Hearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m.

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Vehicle Laws – Causing Serious Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual

Official Summary Text

Altering the definition of "vulnerable individual" to exclude an individual who is riding a motorcycle for purposes of the prohibition on causing the serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain rules of the road.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1496*

HOUSE BILL 1496
R5 6lr3547

By: Delegates Adams, Anderson, Arentz, Beauchamp, McComas, and Rose
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Vehicle Laws – Causing Serious Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual 2

FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “vulnerable individual” to exclude a n 3
individual who is riding a motorcycle for purposes of the prohibition on causing the 4
serious physical injury or death of a vulnerable individual as a result of operating a 5
motor vehicle in violation of certain rules of the road; and generally relating to rules 6
of the road and vulnerable individuals. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 21–901.3 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Transportation 15

21–901.3. 16

(a) In this section, “vulnerable individual” means: 17

(1) A pedestrian, including an individual who is lawfully: 18

(i) Actively working on a highway or a utility facility along a 19
highway; 20

(ii) Providing emergency services on a highway; or 21

(iii) On a sidewalk or footpath; 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1496

(2) An individual who is lawfully riding or leading an animal on a highway, 1
shoulder, crosswalk, or sidewalk; or 2

(3) An individual who is lawfully operating or riding any of the following 3
on a highway, shoulder, crosswalk, or sidewalk: 4

(i) A bicycle; 5

(ii) A farm tractor or farm equipment; 6

(iii) A play vehicle; 7

(iv) A motor scooter; 8

(v) [A motorcycle; 9

(vi)] An animal–drawn vehicle; 10

[(vii)] (VI) An EPAMD; or 11

[(viii)] (VII) A wheelchair. 12

(b) An individual may not cause the serious physical injury or death of a 13
vulnerable individual as a result of the individual operating a motor vehicle in violation of 14
any provision of this title. 15

(c) (1) An individual charged with a violation of subsection (b) of this section: 16

(i) Must appear in court; and 17

(ii) May not prepay the fine. 18

(2) An individual convicted of a violation of subsection (b) of this section is 19
subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000. 20

(d) In addition to the penalties provided under subsection (c) of this section, the 21
court may order an individual convicted of a violation of subsection (b) of this section to: 22

(1) Participate in a motor vehicle safety course; and 23

(2) Perform up to 150 hours of community service. 24

(e) The Administration shall suspend the driver’s license of an individual 25
convicted of a violation of subsection (b) of this section for at least 7 days but not more than 26
6 months. 27

HOUSE BILL 1496 3

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