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.
*hb0948*
HOUSE BILL 948
R4, R5 3lr1975
SB 76/22 – JPR CF SB 374
By: Charles County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 10, 2023
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 11, 2023
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 2022 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 2022 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Transportation 19
Section 21–104.7 and 21–104.8 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 22 2 HOUSE BILL 948
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Transportation 3
11–130.1. 4
“Low speed vehicle” means a four–wheeled motor vehicle that has a maximum speed 5
capability that exceeds 20 miles per hour but is less than 25 miles per hour. 6
13–402. 7
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or elsewhere in the 8
Maryland Vehicle Law, each motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer driven on 9
a highway shall be registered under this subtitle. 10
(c) Registration under this subtitle is not required for: 11
(1) A vehicle that is driven on a highway: 12
(i) In conformity with the provisions of this title relating to 13
manufacturers, transporters, dealers, secured parties, owners or operators of special mobile 14
equipment, or nonresidents; or 15
(ii) Under a temporary registration card issued by the 16
Administration; 17
(2) A vehicle owned and used by the United States, unless an authorized 18
officer or employee of the United States requests registration of the vehicle; 19
(3) A farm tractor or any farm equipment; 20
(4) A vehicle the front or rear wheels of which are lifted from the highway; 21
(5) A towed vehicle that is attached to the towing vehicle by a tow bar and 22
for which no driver is necessary; 23
(6) A vehicle owned by and in the possession of a licensed dealer for purpose 24
of sale; 25
(7) A vehicle owned by a new resident of this State during the first 60 days 26
of residency provided the vehicle displays valid registration issued by the jurisdiction of the 27
resident’s former domicile; 28
HOUSE BILL 948 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 § 21–104.2, 11
§ 21–104.3, § 21–104.4, [or] § 21–104.6, OR § 21–104.7 of this article; 12
(13) A golf cart that is operated on an Allegany County highway as allowed 13
by the county under § 25–102(a)(16) of this article; 14
(14) A vehicle owned by an accredited consular or diplomatic officer of a 15
foreign government and operated for official or personal purposes when the vehicle displays 16
a valid diplomatic license plate issued by the United States government; [or] 17
(15) A personal delivery device that is operated on a roadway, sidewalk, 18
shoulder, or crosswalk in accordance with § 21–104.5 of this article; OR 19
(16) A LOW SPEED VEHICLE TH AT IS OPERATED ON A HIGHWAY IN 20
ACCORDANCE WITH § 21–104.8 OF THIS ARTICLE . 21
21–104.7. 22
A PERSON WHO OPERATES A G OLF CART ON A HIGHWA Y ON COBB ISLAND, 23
CHARLES COUNTY, WITHOUT REGISTRATION AS AUTHORIZED UNDER § 24
13–402(C)(12) OF THIS ARTICLE: 25
(1) MAY OPERATE THE GOLF CART ONLY: 26
(I) ON A HIGHWAY ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM POSTED S PEED 27
LIMIT DOES NO T EXCEED 30 MILES PER HOUR ; 28
(II) BETWEEN DAWN AND DUSK ; AND 29
(III) IF THE GOLF CART IS E QUIPPED WITH LIGHTIN G DEVICES 30
AS REQUIRED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ; 31
4 HOUSE BILL 948
(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 DRIV ER’S LICENSE. 3
21–104.8. 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)(16) OF THIS ARTICLE: 7
(1) MAY OPERATE THE LOW S PEED VEHICLE ONLY : 8
(I) ON A HIGHWAY ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM POSTED S PEED 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 SPEED VEHICL E AS FAR TO THE RIGH T 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, 2023. 18
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.