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*sb0606*
SENATE BILL 606
R2 6lr2585
By: Senator McCray Senators McCray, Beidle, Gile, Hayes, Hershey, Jackson,
Kramer, Lam, Mautz, Ready, and A. Washington
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland E–ZPass Commuter Fairness and Transparency Act of 2026 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Transportation Authority to submit a certain 3
report on E–ZPass discount plans and unused commuter trips that contains certain 4
data; requiring the Authority to provide recommendations for lowering the amount 5
of unused commuter trips; requiring the Authority, under certain circumstances, to 6
submit a certain corrective action plan or eliminate certain forfeitures; and generally 7
relating to unused commuter trips and the Maryland Transportation Authority. 8
Preamble 9
WHEREAS, The Maryland Transportation Authority operates the E –ZPass, an 10
all–electronic tolling system on Maryland toll facilities, which is used daily by hundreds of 11
thousands of Maryland residents, commuters, and visitors; and 12
WHEREAS, Under the current system, a missed toll payment as low as $4 can result 13
in the assessment of administrative fees and penalties that represent a disproportionate 14
percentage increase over the original toll amount, creating significant financial burdens for 15
motorists; and 16
WHEREAS, These fees and penalties often accumulate rapidly, particularly for 17
individuals who may be unaware of an unpaid toll due to address changes, mail delivery 18
issues, or delays in notification; and 19
2 SENATE BILL 606
WHEREAS, Maryland’s transition to all –electronic tolling, with the elimination of 1
cash payment options, has removed a critical access point for individuals who are unbanked 2
or underbanked, including residents of communities that experience banking deserts and 3
limited access to traditional financial services; and 4
WHEREAS, The all –electronic tolling system effectively requires access to bank 5
accounts, credit cards, or online payment platforms, which may not be readily available to 6
all Marylanders, thereby creating inequitable barriers to compliance; and 7
WHEREAS, The E –ZPass system charges consumers for unused or expired trips 8
when toll transactions are not utilized within a shortened, State –imposed time frame, 9
resulting in the loss of prepaid funds without corresponding transportation services; and 10
WHEREAS, Maryland has shortened the allowable time frame in which prepaid toll 11
trips may be used, which has the effect of depriving consumers of funds already paid and 12
disproportionately impacting working families, seniors, a nd individuals with irregular 13
travel patterns; and 14
WHEREAS, The cumulative effect of penalty structures, shortened usage windows, 15
and all –electronic payment systems has resulted in consumers being systematically 16
charged fees that exceed the original cost of the toll, rather than being encouraged or 17
supported in timely compliance; and 18
WHEREAS, These practices raise concerns regarding fairness, transparency, 19
proportionality, and consumer protection, particularly for low –income motorists and 20
residents of communities with limited access to banking and digital infrastructure; and 21
WHEREAS, The General Assembly has an interest in ensuring that tolling and 22
transportation revenue systems operate in a manner that is equitable, transparent, 23
consumer–focused, and proportionate, while still meeting the operational needs of the 24
State; now, therefore, 25
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 26
That: 27
(a) On or before September 1, 2026, the Maryland Transportation Authority shall 28
submit a report to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House 29
Appropriations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 30
(b) The report required under subsection (a) of this section shall: 31
(1) analyze data from calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025 and provide: 32
(i) the number of E–ZPass discount plans issued annually; 33
(ii) the number and percentage of discount plans with unused 34
commuter trips; 35
SENATE BILL 606 3
(iii) the average number of unused commuter trips per plan; 1
(iv) the aggregate dollar value of unused commuter trips by year; 2
(v) any available demographic, geographic, and usage trends; and 3
(vi) any administrative, operational, and statutory factors that 4
contribute to increased unused commuter trips; 5
(2) include recommendations for lowering the amount of unused commuter 6
trips, which may include: 7
(i) extending the allowable usage window for prepaid trips on 8
discount plans; 9
(ii) allowing rollovers or credits for unused trips; 10
(iii) refund or partial refund mechanisms; 11
(iv) automatic transfer of unused trips to account balances; and 12
(v) alternative discount plan structures that reduce forfeiture of 13
prepaid funds; and 14
(3) if during 2023, 2024, or 2025 more than 25% of all E –ZPass discount 15
plans have unused commuter trips, include a corrective action plan to reduce or eliminate 16
the forfeiture of unused commuter trips and mitigate consumer harm. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, this 19
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 20
further force and effect. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.