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.
*sb0076*
SENATE BILL 76
R4, R5 2lr1067
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: October 29, 2021
Introduced and read first time: January 12, 2022
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 3, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Motor Vehicle Registration – Exceptions for Golf Carts and Low Speed Vehicles 2
– Cobb Island 3
FOR the purpose of establishing exceptions to motor vehicle registration requirements for 4
golf carts and low speed vehicles on Cobb Island in Charles County, subject to certain 5
requirements; and generally relating to exceptions to motor vehicle registration 6
requirements for golf carts and low speed vehicles on Cobb Island. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 11–130.1 and 13–402(a)(1) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Transportation 14
Section 13–402(c) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Transportation 19
Section 21–104.5 and 21–104.6 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21 2 SENATE BILL 76
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 1
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
Article – Transportation 4
11–130.1. 5
“Low speed vehicle” means a four–wheeled motor vehicle that has a maximum speed 6
capability that exceeds 20 miles per hour but is less than 25 miles per hour. 7
13–402. 8
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or elsewhere in the 9
Maryland Vehicle Law, each motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer driven on 10
a highway shall be registered under this subtitle. 11
(c) Registration under this subtitle is not required for: 12
(1) A vehicle that is driven on a highway: 13
(i) In conformity with the provisions of this title relating to 14
manufacturers, transporters, dealers, secured parties, owners or operators of special mobile 15
equipment, or nonresidents; or 16
(ii) Under a temporary registration card issued by the 17
Administration; 18
(2) A vehicle owned and used by the United States, unless an authorized 19
officer or employee of the United States requests registration of the vehicle; 20
(3) A farm tractor or any farm equipment; 21
(4) A vehicle the front or rear wheels of which are lifted from the highway; 22
(5) A towed vehicle that is attached to the towing vehicle by a tow bar and 23
for which no driver is necessary; 24
(6) A vehicle owned by and in the possession of a licensed dealer for purpose 25
of sale; 26
(7) A vehicle owned by a new resident of this State during the first 60 days 27
of residency provided the vehicle displays valid registration issued by the jurisdiction of the 28
resident’s former domicile; 29
SENATE BILL 76 3
(8) New vehicles being operated as part of a shuttle, as defined in § 13–626 1
of this title, while following a registered vehicle displaying a shuttle permit issued by the 2
Administration; 3
(9) A vehicle operated in connection with maritime commerce exclusively 4
within any terminal owned or leased by the Maryland Port Administration; 5
(10) A snowmobile that is operated on highways and roadways as prescribed 6
by § 25–102(a)(14) of this article; 7
(11) A golf cart that is operated on a highway on Smith Island, provided that 8
the golf cart is equipped with lighting devices as required by the Administration if it is 9
operated on a highway between dusk and dawn; 10
(12) A golf cart that is operated on a highway in accordance with [§§ 11
21–104.2 through 21–104.4] § 21–104.2, § 21–104.3, § 21–104.4, OR § 21–104.5 of this 12
article; 13
(13) A golf cart that is operated on an Allegany County highway as allowed 14
by the county under § 25–102(a)(16) of this article; [or] 15
(14) A vehicle owned by an accredited consular or diplomatic officer of a 16
foreign government and operated for official or personal purposes when the vehicle displays 17
a valid diplomatic license plate issued by the United States government; OR 18
(15) A LOW SPEED VEHICLE TH AT IS OPERATED ON A HIGHWAY IN 19
ACCORDANCE WITH § 21–104.6 OF THIS ARTICLE . 20
21–104.5. 21
A PERSON WHO OPERATES A GOLF CART ON A HIG HWAY ON COBB ISLAND, 22
CHARLES COUNTY, WITHOUT REGISTRATION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER § 23
13–402(C)(12) OF THIS ARTICLE: 24
(1) MAY OPERATE THE GOLF CART ONLY: 25
(I) ON A HIGHWAY ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM POSTED S PEED 26
LIMIT DOES NOT EXCEE D 30 MILES PER HOUR ; 27
(II) BETWEEN DAWN AND DUSK ; AND 28
(III) IF THE GOLF CART IS E QUIPPED WITH LIGHTIN G DEVICES 29
AS REQUIRED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ; 30
4 SENATE BILL 76
(2) SHALL KEEP THE GOLF C ART AS FAR TO THE RI GHT OF THE 1
ROADWAY AS FEASIBLE ; AND 2
(3) SHALL POSSESS A VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. 3
21–104.6. 4
A PERSON WHO OPERATES A LOW SPEED VEHICLE ON A HIGHWAY ON COBB 5
ISLAND, CHARLES COUNTY, WITHOUT REGISTRATION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER § 6
13–402(C)(15) OF THIS ARTICLE: 7
(1) MAY OPERATE THE LOW S PEED VEHICLE ONLY : 8
(I) ON A HIGHWAY ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM POSTED SPEED 9
LIMIT DOES NOT EXCEE D 30 MILES PER HOUR ; 10
(II) BETWEEN DAWN AND DUSK ; AND 11
(III) IF THE LOW SPEED VEHI CLE IS EQUIPPED WITH LIGHTING 12
DEVICES AS REQUIRED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ; 13
(2) SHALL KEEP THE LOW SP EED VEHICLE AS FAR T O THE RIGHT OF 14
THE ROADWAY AS FEASI BLE; AND 15
(3) SHALL POSSESS A VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2022. 18
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.