MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB730

Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB730 Compare Versions

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1- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 636
21
3-– 1 –
4-Chapter 636
5-(Senate Bill 730)
62
7-AN ACT concerning
3+EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDE D TO EXISTING LAW .
4+ [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5+ Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6+ Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7+amendment.
8+ *sb0730*
89
9-Motor Vehicles – Motorcycles – Passenger Restrictions
10+SENATE BILL 730
11+R5 4lr2813
12+ CF HB 102
13+By: Senator Carter
14+Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
15+Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
16+Committee Report: Favorable
17+Senate action: Adopted
18+Read second time: February 27, 2024
1019
11-FOR the purpose of requiring a rear passenger on a motorcycle to be able to firmly position
12-the passenger’s feet on the footrests of the motorcycle, subject to a certain exception;
13-and generally relating to passenger restrictions for motorcycles.
20+CHAPTER ______
1421
15-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
16- Article – Transportation
17-Section 21–1302
18- Annotated Code of Maryland
19- (2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
22+AN ACT concerning 1
2023
21- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
22-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
24+Motor Vehicles – Motorcycles – Passenger Restrictions 2
2325
24-Article – Transportation
26+FOR the purpose of requiring a rear passenger on a motorcycle to be able to firmly position 3
27+the passenger’s feet on the footrests of the motorcycle, subject to a certain exception; 4
28+and generally relating to passenger restrictions for motorcycles. 5
2529
26-21–1302.
30+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
31+ Article – Transportation 7
32+Section 21–1302 8
33+ Annotated Code of Maryland 9
34+ (2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 10
2735
28- (a) The operator of a motorcycle may ride the motorcycle only on the permanent
29-and regular seat attached to it.
36+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
37+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
3038
31- (b) The operator of a motorcycle may not carry any other person unless the
32-motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride
33-on the permanent and regular seat, if designed for two persons, or on another seat firmly
34-attached to the motorcycle at the rear or side of the operator.
39+Article – Transportation 13
3540
36- (c) (1) A person other than the operator of a motorcycle may not ride on a
37-motorcycle unless the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event
38-a passenger may ride on the permanent and regular seat, if designed for [2] TWO persons,
39-or on another seat firmly attached to the motorcycle at the rear or side of the operator.
41+21–1302. 14
4042
41- (2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS
42-PARAGRAPH , A PASSENGER MAY NOT RIDE ON A MOTORCYCLE ON A SEAT AT THE
43-REAR OF THE OPERATOR UNLESS THE PASSENGER IS ABLE TO POSITION THE
44-PASSENGER’S FEET FIRMLY ON THE FOOTRESTS WHILE SEAT ED.
43+ (a) The operator of a motorcycle may ride the motorcycle only on the permanent 15
44+and regular seat attached to it. 16
4545
46- (II) SUBPARAGR APH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH DO ES NOT APPLY
47-TO A PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE WHO IS UN ABLE TO POSITION THE
48-PASSENGER’S FEET FIRMLY ON THE FOOTRESTS DUE TO A P ERMANENT PHYSICAL Ch. 636 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
46+ (b) The operator of a motorcycle may not carry any other person unless the 17
47+motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event a passenger may ride 18
48+on the permanent and regular seat, if designed for two persons, or on another seat firmly 19 2 SENATE BILL 730
4949
50-– 2 –
51-DISABILITY.
5250
53- (d) A person may ride on a motorcycle operated under a Class M driver’s license
54-only while sitting astride the seat, facing forward, with one leg on each side of the
55-motorcycle.
51+attached to the motorcycle at the rear or side of the operator. 1
5652
57- (e) A person may not operate a motorcycle while carrying any package, bundle,
58-or other article that prevents the person from keeping both hands on the steering
59-mechanism.
53+ (c) (1) A person other than the operator of a motorcycle may not ride on a 2
54+motorcycle unless the motorcycle is designed to carry more than one person, in which event 3
55+a passenger may ride on the permanent and regular seat, if designed for [2] TWO persons, 4
56+or on another seat firmly attached to the motorcycle at the rear or side of the operator. 5
6057
61- (f) The operator of a motorcycle may not carry any person in a position that
62-interferes with the operation or control of the motorcycle or the view of the operator.
58+ (2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 6
59+PARAGRAPH , A PASSENGER MAY NOT RIDE ON A MOTORCYCLE ON A SEAT AT THE 7
60+REAR OF THE OPERATOR UNLESS THE PASSENGER IS ABLE TO POSITION THE 8
61+PASSENGER’S FEET FIRMLY ON THE FOOTRESTS WHILE SEAT ED. 9
6362
64- (g) A person other than the operator of a motorcycle may not ride in a position
65-that interferes with the operation or control of the motorcycle or the view of the operator.
63+ (II) SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH DO ES NOT APPLY 10
64+TO A PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE WHO IS UN ABLE TO POSITION THE 11
65+PASSENGER’S FEET FIRMLY ON THE FOOTRESTS DUE TO A P ERMANENT PH YSICAL 12
66+DISABILITY. 13
6667
67- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
68-October 1, 2024.
68+ (d) A person may ride on a motorcycle operated under a Class M driver’s license 14
69+only while sitting astride the seat, facing forward, with one leg on each side of the 15
70+motorcycle. 16
6971
70-Approved by the Governor, May 9, 2024.
72+ (e) A person may not operate a motorcycle while carrying any package, bundle, 17
73+or other article that prevents the person from keeping both hands on the steering 18
74+mechanism. 19
75+
76+ (f) The operator of a motorcycle may not carry any person in a position that 20
77+interferes with the operation or control of the motorcycle or the view of the operator. 21
78+
79+ (g) A person other than the operator of a motorcycle may not ride in a position 22
80+that interferes with the operation or control of the motorcycle or the view of the operator. 23
81+
82+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
83+October 1, 2024. 25
84+
85+
86+
87+
88+Approved:
89+________________________________________________________________________________
90+ Governor.
91+________________________________________________________________________________
92+ President of the Senate.
93+________________________________________________________________________________
94+ Speaker of the House of Delegates.