SB0258 • 2026

Real Property - Dedication - Roads

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Senator Attar
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 2/03 at 2:00 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.

Real Property - Dedication - Roads

Establishing that a private road open to public travel for 20 years or more shall be considered offered for dedication to public use; and establishing that the State, a county, or a municipality shall be considered to have accepted an offer for the dedication of a road to public use under the Act if the State, county, or municipality repairs and maintains the road in the same manner as a public road.

What This Bill Does

Establishing that a private road open to public travel for 20 years or more shall be considered offered for dedication to public use; and establishing that the State, a county, or a municipality shall be considered to have accepted an offer for the dedication of a road to public use under the Act if the State, county, or municipality repairs and maintains the road in the same manner as a public 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

2026-01-27 Senate
Hearing canceled
2026-01-27 Senate
Hearing 2/03 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-20 Senate
Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-19 Senate
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Real Property - Dedication - Roads

Official Summary Text

Establishing that a private road open to public travel for 20 years or more shall be considered offered for dedication to public use; and establishing that the State, a county, or a municipality shall be considered to have accepted an offer for the dedication of a road to public use under the Act if the State, county, or municipality repairs and maintains the road in the same manner as a public 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.
*sb0258*

SENATE BILL 258
N1 6lr0996
CF HB 335
By: Senator Attar
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Real Property – Dedication – Roads 2

FOR the purpose of establishing that a private road open to public travel shall be considered 3
offered for dedication to pub lic use under certain circumstances; establishing that 4
the State, a county, or a municipality shall be considered to have accepted an offer 5
for the dedication of a private road to public use under certain circumstances; and 6
generally relating to dedication of private land to public use. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Real Property 9
Section 14–134 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 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 – Real Property 15

14–134. 16

(A) A PRIVATE ROAD SHALL BE CONSIDERED OFFERED FOR DEDICATION TO 17
PUBLIC USE IF THE ROAD HAS BEEN OPEN TO PUBLIC TRAVEL FOR 20 YEARS OR 18
MORE. 19

(B) AN OFFER FOR THE DEDICATION OF A PRIVATE ROAD TO PUBLIC USE 20
UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSIDERED ACCEPTED BY THE 21
STATE, A COUNTY, OR A MUNICIPALITY IF THE STATE, COUNTY, OR MUNICIPALITY 22
PROVIDES MAINTENANCE OF AND REPAIR TO THE PRIVATE ROAD IN THE SAME 23
MANNER AS A PUBLIC ROAD BEFORE OR FOLLOWING THE OFFER. 24
2 SENATE BILL 258

(C) THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY MAY NOT ENACT 1
OR ENFORCE A LOCAL L AW, ORDINANCE, OR REGULATION THAT C ONFLICTS WITH 2
THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. 3

(D) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S SECTION MAY NOT BE INTERPRETED AS 4
LIMITING OR PROHIBITING ANY ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF OFFER OR ACCEPTANCE 5
OF DEDICATION OF PRIVATE LAND TO PUBLIC USE AVAILABLE UNDER LAW. 6

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2026. 8