EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0693*
SENATE BILL 693
R2 3lr1640
CF 3lr2305
By: Senator Waldstreicher
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2023
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Transportation – Assaults on Public Transit Operators – Report 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to submit a certain 3
annual report on assaults on public transit operators to certain persons; and 4
generally relating to assaults on public transit operators. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Transportation 7
Section 7–714 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Transportation 13
7–714. 14
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16
(2) “LOCAL EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY” MEANS: 17
(I) 1. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE O FFICER OF A COUNTY; OR 18
2. IF A COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE A CHIEF EXECUTI VE 19
OFFICER, THE COUNTY GOVERNING BODY; AND 20
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(II) IF A MUNICIPALITY OPE RATES A TRANSIT SYST EM: 1
1. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE O FFICER OF THE 2
MUNICIPALITY; OR 3
2. IF THE MUNICIPALITY D OES NOT HAVE A CHIEF 4
EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE GOVERNING BODY O F THE MUNICIPALITY . 5
(3) (I) “PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERAT OR” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO 6
IS: 7
1. EMPLOYED BY THE ADMINISTRATION , THE 8
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY, OR A POLITICAL 9
SUBDIVISION; AND 10
2. ENGAGED IN PROVIDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIO N 11
SERVICES, INCLUDING: 12
A. BUS SERVICE; 13
B. TRAIN SERVICE; 14
C. LIGHT RAIL SERVICE ; AND 15
D. SUBWAY SERVICE . 16
(II) “PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERAT OR” INCLUDES A TR ANSIT 17
STATION MANAGER . 18
(B) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT ON 19
ASSAULTS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATORS AS REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION. 20
(C) THE REPORT SHALL INCL UDE THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION FOR THE 21
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G 12 MONTHS: 22
(1) FOR EACH ASSAULT ON A PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATOR: 23
(I) THE NATURE OF THE ASS AULT; 24
(II) THE MODE OF TRANSIT W HERE THE ASSAULT OCC URRED; 25
(III) THE LOCATION OF THE A SSAULT; 26
SENATE BILL 693 3
(IV) WHETHER POLICE WERE I NVOLVED IN RESPONDIN G TO THE 1
ASSAULT; AND 2
(V) THE OUTCOME OF ANY IN VESTIGATION INTO THE ASSAULT, 3
INCLUDING ANY DISCIP LINARY ACTION TAKEN , IF THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE; 4
(2) A COMPARISON OF THE AG GREGATE DATA COMPILE D UNDER 5
ITEM (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION W ITH AT LEAST TWO OTH ER STATES WITH SIMIL AR 6
TRANSIT SYSTEMS OR P OPULATIONS; AND 7
(3) A REVIEW OF CURRENT TRANSIT INDUSTRY BEST PRACTI CES TO 8
PREVENT AND MITIGATE ASSAULTS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATOR S. 9
(D) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL 10
SUBMIT THE REPORT UN DER THIS SECTION TO : 11
(1) EACH LOCAL EXECUTIVE AUTH ORITY; 12
(2) THE STATE’S ATTORNEY FOR EACH COU NTY; AND 13
(3) THE FOLLOWING COMMITT EES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN 14
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE: 15
(I) THE SENATE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE; 16
(II) THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE; 17
(III) THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE; AND 18
(IV) THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION 19
COMMITTEE. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the report due on December 21
1, 2023, under § 7–714 of the Transportation Article as enacted by Section 1 of this Act 22
shall include, in addition to the information required by § 7–714 of the Transportation 23
Article as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, the following information: 24
(1) the data described in § 7–714(c)(1) of the Transportation Article as 25
enacted by Section 1 of this Act for each of the immediately preceding 5 years; 26
(2) an evaluation of assault prevention and mitigation technology and 27
policies for each transit system operated by a political subdivision; 28
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(3) recommendations to improve the existing assault prevention and 1
mitigation technology and policies for each transit system operated by a political 2
subdivision; and 3
(4) an evaluation of the feasibility of establishing a statewide local transit 4
safety officer to provide guidance to transit systems operated by political subdivisions on 5
best practices to prevent and mitigate assaults on public transit operators. 6
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2023. 8