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

SB0110 • 2026

Motor Vehicles - Accidents - Required Testing for Impaired Driving (Mateo's Law)

Motor Vehicles - Accidents - Required Testing for Impaired Driving (Mateo's Law)

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator Charles
Last action
2026-01-13
Official status
In the Senate - Hearing 1/20 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.

Motor Vehicles - Accidents - Required Testing for Impaired Driving (Mateo's Law)

Requiring any person involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person to submit to breath and blood testing for impaired driving.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring any person involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person to submit to breath and blood testing for impaired driving.

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. 2026-01-14 Senate

    First Reading Judicial Proceedings

  2. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Hearing 1/20 at 1:00 p.m.

  3. 2025-09-24 Senate

    Pre-filed

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Motor Vehicles - Accidents - Required Testing for Impaired Driving (Mateo's Law)

Official Summary Text

Requiring any person involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person to submit to breath and blood testing for impaired driving.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0110*

SENATE BILL 110
R3 6lr0938
SB 565/25 – JPR (PRE–FILED) CF HB 114
By: Senator Charles
Requested: September 24, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Motor Vehicles – Accidents – Required Testing for Impaired Driving 2
(Mateo’s Law) 3

FOR the purpose of requiring any person involved in a motor vehicle accident that results 4
in the death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person to submit to breath 5
and blood testing for impaired driving; and generally relating to impaired driving. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 16–205.1(c) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Transportation 14

16–205.1. 15

(c) (1) If a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the 16
death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person [and the person is detained by a 17
police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has been driving or 18
attempting to drive while under the influence of alcohol, while impaired by alcohol, while 19
so far impaired by any drug, any combination of drugs, or a combination of one or more 20
drugs and alcohol that the person could not drive a vehicle safely, while impaired by a 21
controlled dangerous substance, or in violation of § 16–813 of this title], the person shall be 22
required to submit, as directed by [the] A POLICE officer, to a test of: 23

2 SENATE BILL 110

(i) The person’s breath to determine alcohol concentration; AND 1

(ii) One specimen of the person’s blood, to determine alcohol 2
concentration or to determine the drug or controlled dangerous substance content of the 3
person’s blood[; or 4

(iii) Both the person’s breath under item (i) of this paragraph and one 5
specimen of the person’s blood under item (ii) of this paragraph]. 6

(2) If a police officer directs that a person be tested, then the provisions of 7
§ 10–304 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article shall apply. 8

(3) Any medical personnel who perform any test required by this sect ion 9
are not liable for any civil damages as the result of any act or omission related to such test, 10
not amounting to gross negligence. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2026. 13