Maryland 2022 2022 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB642 Enrolled / Bill

Filed 04/11/2022

                     
 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. 
        [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. 
         Underlining indicates amendments to bill. 
         Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by 
amendment. 
         Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments. 
          *sb0642*  
  
SENATE BILL 642 
R5, L2 	EMERGENCY BILL 	(2lr2068) 
ENROLLED BILL 
— Judicial Proceedings/Environment and Transportation — 
Introduced by Senator Cassilly 
 
Read and Examined by Proofreaders: 
 
_______________________________________________ 
Proofreader. 
_______________________________________________ 
Proofreader. 
 
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this 
  
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M. 
  
______________________________________________ 
President.  
 
CHAPTER ______ 
 
AN ACT concerning 1 
 
Harford County – Vehicle Height Monitoring Systems 2 
 
FOR the purpose of authorizing the use of vehicle height monitoring systems at certain 3 
locations in Harford County to enforce certain State and local laws restricting the 4 
presence of certain vehicles during certain times subject to certain requirements; 5 
and generally relating to vehicle height monitoring systems in Harford County. 6 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7 
 Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 8 
Section 7–302(e) 9 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 10 
 (2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 11 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12 
 Article – Transportation 13  2 	SENATE BILL 642  
 
 
Section 24–111.3 1 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 2 
 (2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 3 
 
 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4 
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5 
 
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 6 
 
7–302. 7 
 
 (e) (1) A citation issued pursuant to § 21–202.1, § 21–706.1, § 21–809, §  8 
21–810, or § 24–111.3 of the Transportation Article shall provide that the person receiving 9 
the citation may elect to stand trial by notifying the issuing agency of the person’s intention 10 
to stand trial at least 5 days prior to the date of payment as set forth in the citation. On 11 
receipt of the notice to stand trial, the agency shall forward to the District Court having 12 
venue a copy of the citation and a copy of the notice from the person who received the 13 
citation indicating the person’s intention to stand trial. On receipt thereof, the District 14 
Court shall schedule the case for trial and notify the defendant of the trial date under 15 
procedures adopted by the Chief Judge of the District Court. 16 
 
 (2) A citation issued as the result of a vehicle height monitoring system, a 17 
traffic control signal monitoring system, or a speed monitoring system, including a work 18 
zone speed control system, controlled by a political subdivision or a school bus monitoring 19 
camera shall provide that, in an uncontested case, the penalty shall be paid directly to that 20 
political subdivision. A citation issued as the result of a traffic control signal monitoring 21 
system or a work zone speed control system controlled by a State agency, or as a result of 22 
a vehicle height monitoring system, a traffic control signal monitoring system, a speed 23 
monitoring system, or a school bus monitoring camera in a case contested in District Court, 24 
shall provide that the penalty shall be paid directly to the District Court. 25 
 
 (3) Civil penalties resulting from citations issued using a vehicle height 26 
monitoring system, traffic control signal monitoring system, speed monitoring system, 27 
work zone speed control system, or school bus monitoring camera that are collected by the 28 
District Court shall be collected in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and 29 
distributed in accordance with § 12–118 of the Transportation Article. 30 
 
 (4) (i) From the fines collected by a political subdivision as a result of 31 
violations enforced by speed monitoring systems or school bus monitoring cameras, a 32 
political subdivision: 33 
 
 1. May recover the costs of implementing and administering 34 
the speed monitoring systems or school bus monitoring cameras; and 35 
 
 2. Subject to subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this 36 
paragraph, may spend any remaining balance solely for public safety purposes, including 37 
pedestrian safety programs. 38   	SENATE BILL 642 	3 
 
 
 
 (ii) 1. For any fiscal year, if the balance remaining from the fines 1 
collected by a political subdivision as a result of violations enforced by speed monitoring 2 
systems, after the costs of implementing and administering the systems are recovered in 3 
accordance with subparagraph (i)1 of this paragraph, is greater than 10% of the total 4 
revenues of the political subdivision for the fiscal year, the political subdivision shall remit 5 
any funds that exceed 10% of the total revenues to the Comptroller. 6 
 
 2. The Comptroller shall deposit any money remitted under 7 
this subparagraph to the General Fund of the State. 8 
 
 (iii) The fines collected by Prince George’s County as a result of 9 
violations enforced by speed monitoring systems on Maryland Route 210 shall be remitted 10 
to the Comptroller for distribution to the State Highway Administration to be used solely 11 
to assist in covering the costs of: 12 
 
 1. Examining the engineering, infrastructure, and other 13 
relevant factors that may contribute to safety issues on Maryland Route 210 in Prince 14 
George’s County; 15 
 
 2. Reporting its findings and recommendations on any 16 
solutions to these safety issues; and 17 
 
 3. Implementing any solutions to these safety issues. 18 
 
 (iv) 1. From the fines collected by Baltimore City as a result of 19 
violations enforced by speed monitoring systems on Interstate 83, any balance remaining 20 
after the allocation of fines under subparagraph (i)1 of this paragraph shall be remitted to 21 
the Comptroller for distribution to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation to be 22 
used solely to assist in covering the cost of roadway improvements on Interstate 83 in 23 
Baltimore City. 24 
 
 2. Fines remitted to the Baltimore City Department of 25 
Transportation under subparagraph (iv)1 of this paragraph are supplemental to and are 26 
not intended to take the place of funding that would otherwise be appropriated for uses 27 
described under subparagraph (iv)1 of this paragraph. 28 
 
 (v) From the fines collected by Anne Arundel County as a result of 29 
violations enforced by speed monitoring systems on Maryland Route 175 (Jessup Road) 30 
between the Maryland Route 175/295 interchange and the Anne Arundel County–Howard 31 
County line, any balance remaining after the allocation of fines under subparagraph (i)1 of 32 
this paragraph shall be remitted to the Comptroller for distribution to the State Highway 33 
Administration to be used solely to assist in covering the cost of speed reduction measures 34 
and roadway and pedestrian safety improvements on Maryland Route 175 (Jessup Road) 35 
between the Maryland Route 175/295 interchange and the Anne Arundel County–Howard 36 
County line. 37 
  4 	SENATE BILL 642  
 
 
 (5) From the fines collected by Baltimore City as a result of violations 1 
enforced by vehicle height monitoring systems, Baltimore City may: 2 
 
 (i) Recover the costs of implementing and administering the vehicle 3 
height monitoring systems; and 4 
 
 (ii) Spend the remaining balance solely on roadway improvements. 5 
 
Article – Transportation 6 
 
24–111.3. 7 
 
 (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 8 
 
 (2) “Local government agency” means an agency of a local jurisdiction that 9 
is authorized to issue a citation for a violation of the Maryland Vehicle Law or of local traffic 10 
laws or regulations. 11 
 
 (3) “Local jurisdiction” means a county or municipal corporation. 12 
 
 (4) (i) “Owner” means the registered owner of a motor vehicle. 13 
 
 (ii) In Baltimore County, “owner” does not include: 14 
 
 1. A motor vehicle rental or leasing company; or 15 
 
 2. The holder of an interchangeable registration under Title 16 
13, Subtitle 9, Part III of this article. 17 
 
 (5) “Recorded image” means an image re corded by a vehicle height 18 
monitoring system: 19 
 
 (i) On: 20 
 
 1. A photograph; 21 
 
 2. A microphotograph; 22 
 
 3. An electronic image; 23 
 
 4. Videotape; or 24 
 
 5. Any other medium; and 25 
 
 (ii) Showing: 26 
   	SENATE BILL 642 	5 
 
 
 1. The front or side of a motor vehicle or combination of 1 
vehicles; 2 
 
 2. At least two time–stamped images of the motor vehicle or 3 
combination of vehicles that include the same stationary object near the motor vehicle or 4 
combination of vehicles; and 5 
 
 3. On at least one image or portion of tape, a clear and legible 6 
identification of the entire registration plate number of the motor vehicle. 7 
 
 (6) “Vehicle height monitoring system” means a device with one or more 8 
motor vehicle sensors that is capable of producing recorded images of vehicles whose height 9 
exceeds a predetermined limit. 10 
 
 (b) This section applies only in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, HARFORD 11 
COUNTY, and Prince George’s County. 12 
 
 (c) (1) A vehicle height monitoring system may be used to record images of 13 
vehicles traveling on a highway in a local jurisdiction under this section only if the use of 14 
vehicle height monitoring systems is authorized by local law adopted by the governing body 15 
of the local jurisdiction after reasonable notice and a public hearing. 16 
 
 (2) IN HARFORD COUNTY, A VEHICLE HEIGHT MON ITORING SYSTEM 17 
MAY BE USED, SUBJECT TO THE REQUI REMENTS OF THIS SECT ION, ONLY ON: 18 
 
 (I) SPESUTIA ROAD, FROM THE INTERSECTIO N OF SPESUTIA 19 
ROAD AND U.S. ROUTE 40 TO THE INTERSECTION OF SPESUTIA ROAD AND 20 
MARYLAND ROUTE 159;  21 
 
 (II) MITCHELL LANE, FROM THE INTERSECTIO N OF MITCHELL 22 
LANE AND U.S. ROUTE 40 TO THE INTERSECTION OF MITCHELL LANE AND 23 
SPESUTIA ROAD; AND 24 
 
 (III) OLD STEPNEY ROAD, FROM THE INTERSECTIO N OF OLD 25 
STEPNEY ROAD AND U.S. ROUTE 40 TO THE INTERSECTION OF OLD STEPNEY ROAD 26 
AND SPESUTIA ROAD. 27 
 
 [(2)] (3) Before a local jurisdiction places or installs a vehicle height 28 
monitoring system at a particular location, it shall: 29 
 
 (i) Conduct an analysis to determine the appropriateness of the 30 
location; and 31 
 
 (ii) Obtain the approval of the chief official of the local government 32 
agency or the chief official’s designee. 33 
  6 	SENATE BILL 642  
 
 
 [(3)] (4) Before activating a vehicle height monitoring system, a local 1 
jurisdiction shall: 2 
 
 (i) Publish notice of the location of the vehicle height monitoring 3 
system on its website and in a newspaper of general circulation in the jurisdiction; and 4 
 
 (ii) Ensure that all signs stating restrictions on the presence of 5 
certain vehicles during certain times approaching and within the segment of highway on 6 
which the vehicle height monitoring system is located include signs that: 7 
 
 1. Are in accordance with the manual and specifications for 8 
a uniform system of traffic control devices adopted by the State Highway Administration 9 
under § 25–104 of this article; and 10 
 
 2. Indicate that a vehicle height monitoring system is in use. 11 
 
 (d) A vehicle height monitoring system operator shall fill out and sign a daily  12 
set–up log for a vehicle height monitoring system that: 13 
 
 (1) States that the operator successful ly performed the 14 
manufacturer–specified self–test of the vehicle height monitoring system before producing 15 
a recorded image; 16 
 
 (2) Shall be kept on file; and 17 
 
 (3) Shall be admitted as evidence in any court proceeding for a violation of 18 
this section. 19 
 
 (e) (1) Unless the driver of the motor vehicle or combination of vehicles 20 
received a citation from a police officer at the time of the violation, the owner of a motor 21 
vehicle or combination of vehicles is subject to a civil penalty if the motor vehicle or 22 
combination of vehicles is recorded by a vehicle height monitoring system while being 23 
operated in violation of a State or local law restricting the presence of certain vehicles 24 
during certain times. 25 
 
 (2) A civil penalty under this subsection may not exceed: 26 
 
 (i) For a second violation by the owner of the motor vehicle, $250; 27 
and 28 
 
 (ii) For a third or subsequent violation by the owner of the motor 29 
vehicle, $500. 30 
 
 (3) For purposes of this section, the District Court shall prescribe: 31 
 
 (i) A uniform citation form consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2) of 32 
this subsection and § 7–302 of the Courts Article; and 33   	SENATE BILL 642 	7 
 
 
 
 (ii) A civil penalty, which shall be indicated on the citation, to be paid 1 
by persons who choose to prepay the civil penalty without appearing in District Court. 2 
 
 (f) (1) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a 3 
local government agency or, in Baltimore City, the Baltimore City Department of 4 
Transportation shall mail to an owner liable under this section a citation that shall include: 5 
 
 (i) The name and address of the registered owner of the motor 6 
vehicle; 7 
 
 (ii) The registration number of the motor vehicle involved in the 8 
violation; 9 
 
 (iii) The violation charged; 10 
 
 (iv) The location at which the violation occurred; 11 
 
 (v) The date and time of the violation; 12 
 
 (vi) A copy of the recorded image; 13 
 
 (vii) The amount of the civil penalty imposed and the date by which 14 
the civil penalty should be paid; 15 
 
 (viii) A signed statement by a duly authorized law enforcement officer 16 
commissioned by the local government agency that, based on inspection of the recorded 17 
image, the motor vehicle or combination of vehicles was being operated in violation of a 18 
State or local law restricting the presence of certain vehicles during certain times; 19 
 
 (ix) A statement that the recorded image is evidence of the violation; 20 
 
 (x) Information advising the owner alleged to be liable under this 21 
section of the manner and time in which liability as alleged in the citation may be contested 22 
in the District Court; and 23 
 
 (xi) Information advising the owner alleged to be liable under this 24 
section that failure to pay the civil penalty or to contest liability in a timely manner is an 25 
admission of liability. 26 
 
 (2) A local government agency or, in Baltimore City, the Baltimore City 27 
Department of Transportation shall, for a first violation, mail a warning notice instead of 28 
a citation to an owner liable under this section. 29 
 
 (3) A citation issued under this section shall be mailed no later than 30 30 
days after the alleged violation. 31 
  8 	SENATE BILL 642  
 
 
 (4) A person who receives a citation under this section may: 1 
 
 (i) Pay the civil penalty, in accordance with instructions on the 2 
citation, directly to the local jurisdiction; or 3 
 
 (ii) Elect to stand trial in the District Court for the alleged violation. 4 
 
 (g) (1) A certificate alleging that a violation of a State or local law restricting 5 
the presence of certain vehicles during certain times occurred and that the requirements 6 
under subsections (c) and (d) of this section have been affirmed by a duly authorized law 7 
enforcement officer commissioned by a local government agency, based on inspection of the 8 
recorded image produced by the vehicle height monitoring system, shall be: 9 
 
 (i) Evidence of the facts contained in the certificate; and 10 
 
 (ii) Admissible in a proceeding alleging a violation under this section 11 
without the presence or testimony of the vehicle height monitoring system operator. 12 
 
 (2) If a person who received a citation under this section desires the vehicle 13 
height monitoring system operator to be present and testify at trial, the person shall notify 14 
the court and the State in writing no later than 20 days before trial. 15 
 
 (3) Adjudication of liability shall be based on a preponderance of evidence. 16 
 
 (h) (1) The District Court may consider in defense of a violation: 17 
 
 (i) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, that the motor vehicle 18 
or the registration plates of the motor vehicle were stolen before the violation occurred and 19 
were not under the control or possession of the owner at the time of the violation; and 20 
 
 (ii) Any other issues and evidence that the District Court deems 21 
pertinent. 22 
 
 (2) To demonstrate that the motor vehicle or the registration plates were 23 
stolen before the violation occurred and were not under the control or possession of the 24 
owner at the time of the violation, the owner shall submit proof that a police report 25 
regarding the stolen motor vehicle or registration plates was filed in a timely manner. 26 
 
 (i) A violation for which a civil penalty is imposed under this section: 27 
 
 (1) Is not a moving violation for the purpose of assessing points under §  28 
16–402 of this article; 29 
 
 (2) May not be recorded by the Administration on the driving record of the 30 
owner of the vehicle; 31 
   	SENATE BILL 642 	9 
 
 
 (3) May not be treated as a parking violation for purposes of § 26–305 of 1 
this article; and 2 
 
 (4) May not be considered in the provision of motor vehicle insurance 3 
coverage. 4 
 
 (j) In consultation with the appropriate local government agency, the Chief Judge 5 
of the District Court shall adopt procedures for the issuance of citations, the trial of civil 6 
violations, and the collection of civil penalties under this section. 7 
 
 (k) (1) A local government agency or, in Baltimore City, the Baltimore City 8 
Department of Transportation, or a contractor designated by the local government agency 9 
or, in Baltimore City, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, shall administer 10 
and process civil citations issued under this section in coordination with the District Court. 11 
 
 (2) If a contractor operates a vehicle height monitoring system on behalf of 12 
a local jurisdiction, the contractor’s fee may not be contingent on the number of citations 13 
issued or paid. 14 
 
 (l) (1) This subsection applies only in Baltimore County AND HARFORD 15 
COUNTY. 16 
 
 (2) Before the installation of any vehicle height monitoring systems, the 17 
governing body of the local jurisdiction shall: 18 
 
 (i) Establish a workgroup including commercial transportation 19 
industry representatives to assist the local government in: 20 
 
 1. Evaluating existing truck routes; 21 
 
 2. Identifying areas for vehicle height monitoring 22 
enforcement; and 23 
 
 3. Evaluating existing signage and identifying locations 24 
where signage could be improved; and 25 
 
 (ii) Adopt a local law limiting the overall number of vehicle height 26 
monitoring systems that may be placed in the local jurisdiction. 27 
 
 (3) The governing body of the local jurisdiction may adopt a local law 28 
exempting certain vehicles from the enforcement of height restrictions by a vehicle height 29 
monitoring system in the local jurisdiction. 30 
 
 (m) (1) This subsection applies only in Prince George’s County. 31 
  10 	SENATE BILL 642  
 
 
 (2) Before the installation of any vehicle height monitoring systems, the 1 
governing body of Prince George’s County and the President of the Prince George’s County 2 
Municipal Association shall jointly establish a workgroup to assist in: 3 
 
 (i) Identifying the entity responsible for the installation costs, 4 
collection of revenue, and distribution of revenue relating to vehicle height monitoring 5 
enforcement; 6 
 
 (ii) Evaluating existing signage and identifying any locations where 7 
signage could be improved; 8 
 
 (iii) Determining the overall number of vehicle height monitoring 9 
systems that may be placed within a municipal corporation; and 10 
 
 (iv) Clarifying which vehicles may be exempt from enforcement of 11 
height restrictions. 12 
 
 (n) (1) This subsection applies only in Prince George’s County. 13 
 
 (2) Before the installation of any vehicle height monitoring systems, the 14 
governing body of the local jurisdiction shall: 15 
 
 (i) Establish a workgroup including commercial transportation 16 
industry representatives to assist the local government in: 17 
 
 1. Evaluating existing truck routes; 18 
 
 2. Identifying areas for vehicle height monitoring 19 
enforcement; and 20 
 
 3. Evaluating existing signage and identifying locations 21 
where signage could be improved; and 22 
 
 (ii) Adopt a local law limiting the overall number of vehicle height 23 
monitoring systems that may be placed in the local jurisdiction. 24 
 
 (3) The governing body of the local jurisdiction may adopt a local law 25 
exempting certain vehicles from the enforcement of height restrictions by a vehicle height 26 
monitoring system in the local jurisdiction. 27 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28 
October 1, 2022.  29 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 30 
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has been 31 
passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to each of 32 
the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is enacted.  33