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SB0156 • 2026

Railroads - Required Crew for Movement of Freight

Railroads - Required Crew for Movement of Freight

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator Ellis
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
In the Senate - Hearing 2/04 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.

Railroads - Required Crew for Movement of Freight

Prohibiting a railroad train used in connection with the movement of freight from being operated in the State unless it has at least two crew members, subject to certain exceptions; providing a penalty for a first offense of up to $10,000 or in the case of a willful violation within the immediately preceding 3 years, or a fine of up to $25,000; etc.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibiting a railroad train used in connection with the movement of freight from being operated in the State unless it has at least two crew members, subject to certain exceptions; providing a penalty for a first offense of up to $10,000 or in the case of a willful violation within the immediately preceding 3 years, or a fine of up to $25,000; 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. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Hearing 2/04 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-01-14 Senate

    First Reading Finance

  3. 2025-10-30 Senate

    Pre-filed

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Railroads - Required Crew for Movement of Freight

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting a railroad train used in connection with the movement of freight from being operated in the State unless it has at least two crew members, subject to certain exceptions; providing a penalty for a first offense of up to $10,000 or in the case of a willful violation within the immediately preceding 3 years, or a fine of up to $25,000; 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.
*sb0156*

SENATE BILL 156
K3 6lr1521
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: October 30, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Finance

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Railroads – Required Crew for Movement of Freight 2

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a railroad train used in connection with the movement of 3
freight from being operated in the State unless it has a certain number of crew 4
members; and generally relating to safety requirements for railroads. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Labor and Employment 7
Section 5.5–101(a), (d), and (e) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2025 Replacement Volume) 10

BY adding to 11
Article – Labor and Employment 12
Section 5.5–110(e) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume) 15

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
Article – Transportation 17
Section 21–101(a) and (r) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22

Article – Labor and Employment 23

5.5–101. 24
2 SENATE BILL 156

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 1

(d) (1) “Railroad” includes each common carrier by rail and all branches, 2
bridges, cars, extensions, ferries, plants, spurs, stations, subways, switches, terminal 3
facilities, tracks, tunnels, and all equipment used on or in connection with them. 4

(2) “Railroad” does not include a rapid rail transit system or light rail 5
system operating in the State. 6

(e) “Railroad company” means: 7

(1) the operator of a railroad operating in the State; and 8

(2) the State or any political subdivision of the State, whi le operating a 9
railroad. 10

5.5–110. 11

(E) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “RAILROAD TRAIN” HAS THE MEANING STATED 12
IN § 21–101 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE. 13

(2) (I) THIS SUBSECTION APPLIES TO A RAILROAD TRAIN USED IN 14
CONNECTION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF RAILROAD FREIGHT THAT SHARES THE SAME 15
RAIL CORRIDOR AS A HIGH–SPEED PASSENGER OR COMMUTER TRAIN. 16

(II) THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A RAILROAD TRAIN 17
USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE MOVEMENT OF RAILROAD FREIGHT INVOLVING: 18

1. HOSTLER SERVICE; OR 19

2. UTILITY EMPLOYEES IN YARD SERVICE. 20

(3) A RAILROAD TRAIN USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE MOVEMENT 21
OF RAILROAD FREIGHT MAY NOT BE OPERATED IN THE STATE UNLESS THE 22
RAILROAD TRAIN HAS A CREW OF AT LEAST TWO INDIVIDUALS. 23

(4) (I) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A 24
PERSON WHO WILLFULLY VIOLATES THIS SUBSEC TION IS SUBJECT TO A CIVIL 25
PENALTY ASSESSED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF: 26

1. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN ITEM 2 OF THIS 27
SUBPARAGRAPH, A FINE NOT TO EXCEED $10,000; OR 28

SENATE BILL 156 3

2. IF THE PERSON PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED A WILLFUL 1
VIOLATION WITHIN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 3 YEARS, A FINE NOT TO EXCEED 2
$25,000. 3

(II) A RAILROAD COMPANY SHA LL BE SOLELY RESPONS IBLE 4
FOR THE AC TIONS OF THE AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES OF THE RAILROAD COMP ANY 5
THAT VIOLATE THIS SUBSECTION. 6

Article – Transportation 7

21–101. 8

(a) In this title and Title 25 of this article the following words have the meanings 9
indicated. 10

(r) “Railroad train” means any loc omotive or any other car, rolling stock, 11
equipment, or other device that, alone or coupled to others, is operated on stationary rails. 12

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 13

(a) Section 1 of this Act shall take effect contingent on the enacting of 14
substantially similar legislation in the State of New York, the Commonwealth of 15
Pennsylvania, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. 16

(b) The Maryland Department of Labor shall notify the Department of Legislative 17
Services within 10 days after the contingency described in subsection (a) of this section is 18
met. 19

(c) If the Department of Legislative Services receives notice under subsection (b) 20
of this section on or before October 1, 2056, Section 1 of this Act shall take effect on the date 21
notice is received. 22

(d) If the Department of Legislative Services does not receive notice under 23
subsection (b) of this section on or before October 1, 2056, Section 1 of this Act, with no 24
further action required by the General Assembly, shall be null and void. 25

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, subject to Section 2 of this 26
Act, this Act shall take effect October 1, 2026. 27