Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1144 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	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	5		hb1144
9	6
10	7		HOUSE BILL 1144
11	8		R2 5lr3097
12	9		CF 5lr2816
13		-	By: Delegates Addison and Lehman, Lehman, Allen, Baker, Behler, Boyce, Davis,
14		-	Foley, Guyton, Healey, Holmes, R. Lewis, T. Morgan, Nawrocki, Otto, Ruth,
15		-	Stein, Stewart, Terrasa, and Ziegler
	10	+	By: Delegates Addison and Lehman
16	11		Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2025
17	12		Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
18		-	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
19		-	House action: Adopted
20		-	Read second time: March 6, 2025
21	13
22		-	~~CHAPTER ______~~
	14	+	A BILL ENTITLED
23	15
24	16		AN ACT concerning 1
25	17
26	18		State Public Transit Service and Stations – Exclusion for Assault and Bodily 2
27	19		Injury 3
28	20
29	21		FOR the purpose of providing that a certain person alleged to have committed an assault 4
30		-	or other intentional act causing bodily injury may not board be prohibited from using 5
31		-	a State public transit service or enter entering a State public transit service station 6
32		-	for a certain period of time and under certain circumstances; requiring the Maryland 7
33		-	Transit Administration to create a rider code of conduct and implement a 8
34		-	comprehensive internal safety program to strengthen protections for operators and 9
35		-	passengers; and generally relating to excluding individuals persons who commit 10
36		-	assault or acts resulting in bodily injury from State public transit services and 11
37		-	stations. 12
	22	+	or other intentional act causing bodily injury may not board a State public transit 5
	23	+	service or enter a State public transit service station for a certain period of time and 6
	24	+	under certain circumstances; and generally relating to excluding individuals who 7
	25	+	commit assault or acts resulting in bodily injury from State public transit services 8
	26	+	and stations. 9
38	27
39		-	BY adding to 13
40		-	Article – Transportation 14
41		-	Section 7–705.1 15
42		-	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
43		-	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
	28	+	BY adding to 10
	29	+	Article – Transportation 11
	30	+	Section 7–705.1 12
	31	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 13
	32	+	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
44	33
45		-	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
46		-	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
	34	+	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
	35	+	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
47	36
48		-	Article – Transportation 20 2 HOUSE BILL 1144
	37	+	Article – Transportation 17
	38	+
	39	+	7–705.1. 18
	40	+
	41	+	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAV E THE MEANINGS 19
	42	+	INDICATED. 20
	43	+
	44	+	(2) “PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERAT OR” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 21
	45	+	7–714 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 22
	46	+	2 HOUSE BILL 1144
	47	+
	48	+
	49	+	(3) “STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE” MEANS ANY OF THE 1
	50	+	FOLLOWING, IF OPERATED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR ANO THER STATE AGENCY: 2
	51	+
	52	+	(I) BUS SERVICE; 3
	53	+
	54	+	(II) TRAIN SERVICE; 4
	55	+
	56	+	(III) LIGHT RAIL SERVICE ; AND 5
	57	+
	58	+	(IV) SUBWAY SERVICE . 6
	59	+
	60	+	(4) “STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION ” MEANS A STOP OR 7
	61	+	STATION FOR STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE. 8
	62	+
	63	+	(B) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , A PERSON WHO IS 9
	64	+	ALLEGED BY A PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATOR TO HAVE COMMITTED AN AS SAULT OR 10
	65	+	OTHER INTENTIONAL AC T CAUSING BODILY INJ URY TO A PUBLIC TRAN SIT 11
	66	+	OPERATOR OR A PASSEN GER WHILE THE PERSON IS ON BOARD A STATE PUBLIC 12
	67	+	TRANSIT SERVICE OR A T A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION MAY NOT 13
	68	+	BOARD A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE OR ENTER A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT 14
	69	+	SERVICE STATION FOR : 15
	70	+
	71	+	(1) AT LEAST 30 DAYS, FOR A FIRST ACT OF A SSAULT OR 16
	72	+	INTENTIONAL ACT CAUS ING BODILY INJURY ; 17
	73	+
	74	+	(2) AT LEAST 180 DAYS, FOR A SECOND ACT OF ASSAULT OR 18
	75	+	INTENTIONAL ACT CAUS ING BODILY INJURY ; AND 19
	76	+
	77	+	(3) THE REMAINDER OF THE PERSON’S LIFE: 20
	78	+
	79	+	(I) FOR A THIRD ACT OF AS SAULT OR INTENTIONAL ACT 21
	80	+	CAUSING BODILY INJUR Y; OR 22
	81	+
	82	+	(II) FOR ANY ACT OF ASSAUL T OR INTENTIONAL ACT C AUSING 23
	83	+	BODILY INJURY FOR WH ICH THE PERSON USED A WEAPON. 24
	84	+
	85	+	(C) THE SECRETARY OR THE SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE MAY REDUC E OR 25
	86	+	INCREASE THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT A PERSO N WHO VIOLATES SUBSE CTION (B) OF 26
	87	+	THIS SECTION IS PROH IBITED FROM BOARDING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE 27
	88	+	OR ENTERING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION . 28
	89	+
	90	+	(D) (1) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO 29
	91	+	PROSECUTION FOR TRES PASSING. 30 HOUSE BILL 1144 3
49	92
50	93
51	94
52		-	7–705.1. 1
	95	+	(2) NOTHING IN THIS SECTI ON MAY BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT OR 1
	96	+	PROHIBIT THE ENFORCE MENT OF ANY OTHER STATE LAW. 2
53	97
54		-	(A) ~~(1) IN~~ THIS ~~SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2~~
55		-	~~INDICATED~~. 3
	98	+	(E) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 3
	99	+	SECTION. 4
56	100
57		-	(2) (I) “PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERAT OR” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED 4
58		-	IN § 7–714 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 5
59		-
60		-	(II) “PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERAT OR” INCLUDES A PERSON 6
61		-	ENGAGED IN OFFICIAL DUTIES AS A STATION AGENT, CONDUCTOR , OR STATION 7
62		-	ATTENDANT WHO IS EMP LOYED BY: 8
63		-
64		-	1. AN ENTITY THAT PROVID ES TRANSIT SERVICE U NDER 9
65		-	CONTRACT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ; 10
66		-
67		-	2. A PRIVATE ENTITY THAT PROVIDES PUBLIC TRA NSIT 11
68		-	SERVICE; AND 12
69		-
70		-	3. AN ENTITY THAT PROVID ES TRANSIT SERVICE U NDER 13
71		-	A TRANSPORTATION COM PACT UNDER TITLE 10 OF THIS ARTICLE . 14
72		-
73		-	(3) “STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE” MEANS ANY OF THE 15
74		-	FOLLOWING, IF OPERATED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR ANO THER STATE AGENCY: 16
75		-
76		-	(I) BUS SERVICE; 17
77		-
78		-	(II) TRAIN SERVICE; 18
79		-
80		-	(III) LIGHT RAIL SERVICE ; AND 19
81		-
82		-	(IV) SUBWAY SERVICE . 20
83		-
84		-	(4) “STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION ” MEANS A STOP OR 21
85		-	STATION FOR STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE. 22
86		-
87		-	(B) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, A A PERSON WHO 23
88		-	IS ALLEGED BY A PUBL IC TRANSIT OPERATOR TO HAVE COMMITTED AN ASSAULT OR 24
89		-	OTHER INTENTIONAL AC T CAUSING BODILY INJ URY TO A PUBLIC TRAN SIT 25
90		-	OPERATOR OR A PASSEN GER WHILE THE PERSON IS ON BOARD A STATE PUBLIC 26
91		-	TRANSIT SERVICE OR A T A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION MAY NOT 27
92		-	BOARD BE PROHIBITED FROM U SING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE OR ENTER 28
93		-	ENTERING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION FOR: STATION, UNDER 29 HOUSE BILL 1144 3
94		-
95		-
96		-	GUIDELINES AND SUBJE CT TO AN APPEALS PRO CESS ESTABLISHED BY THE 1
97		-	ADMINISTRATION . 2
98		-
99		-	(2) THIS SECTION DOES NOT INCREASE THE DUTY OF CARE FOR THE 3
100		-	ADMINISTRATION OR ANO THER STATE AGENCY OR THEIR EMPLOYEES, 4
101		-	CONTRACTORS , OR CONTRACTOR ’S EMPLOYEES FOR ANY TORT OR OTHER LIABIL ITY 5
102		-	PURPOSES IN CONNECTI ON WITH ACTIONS BY A PERSON ALLEGED TO HA VE 6
103		-	COMMITTED AN ASSAULT ON A PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATOR OR PASSENGE R. 7
104		-
105		-	(1) AT LEAST 30 DAYS, FOR A FIRST ACT OF A SSAULT OR 8
106		-	INTENTIONAL ACT CAUS ING BODILY INJURY ; 9
107		-
108		-	(2) AT LEAST 180 DAYS, FOR A SECOND ACT OF ASSAULT OR 10
109		-	INTENTIONAL ACT CAUS ING BODILY INJURY ; AND 11
110		-
111		-	(3) THE REMAINDER OF THE PERSON’S LIFE: 12
112		-
113		-	(I) FOR A THIRD ACT OF AS SAULT OR INTENTIONAL ACT 13
114		-	CAUSING BODILY INJUR Y; OR 14
115		-
116		-	(II) FOR ANY ACT OF ASSAUL T OR INTENTIONAL ACT CAUSING 15
117		-	BODILY INJURY FOR WH ICH THE PERSON USED A WEAPON. 16
118		-
119		-	(C) THE SECRETARY OR THE SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE MAY REDUC E OR 17
120		-	INCREASE THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT A PERSO N WHO VIOLATES SUBSE CTION (B) OF 18
121		-	THIS SECTION IS PROH IBITED FROM BOARDING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE 19
122		-	OR ENTERING A STATE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE STATION . 20
123		-
124		-	(D) (1) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT T O 21
125		-	PROSECUTION FOR TRES PASSING. 22
126		-
127		-	(2) NOTHING IN THIS SECTI ON MAY BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT OR 23
128		-	PROHIBIT THE ENFORCE MENT OF ANY OTHER STATE LAW. 24
129		-
130		-	(E) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 25
131		-	SECTION. 26
132		-
133		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 27
134		-
135		-	(a) On or before June 1, 2025, the Maryland Transit Administration, in 28
136		-	consultation with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the Joint Safety 29
137		-	Committee, and operator union representatives, shall convene a workgroup to create a rider 30
138		-	code of conduct and implement a comprehensive internal safety program to strengthen 31
139		-	protections for Administration operators and passengers through clear safety protocols, 32
140		-	strengthened safety policies, and improved risk mitigation measures. 33 4 HOUSE BILL 1144
141		-
142		-
143		-
144		-	(b) The workgroup: 1
145		-
146		-	(1) shall address consequences for violations in Administration facilities 2
147		-	that shall include ridership bans for an assault on a public transit operator or passenger as 3
148		-	soon as practicable, the possibility of legal action, and an appeals process; 4
149		-
150		-	(2) may not require a criminal conviction as a prerequisite to a ban on 5
151		-	public transit service usage; and 6
152		-
153		-	(3) shall authorize, under standards set by the workgroup, the use of public 7
154		-	transit facilities by a person accused of assault on a public transit operator or passenger, if 8
155		-	the assault was directly related to the person’s disability and the person is accompanied by 9
156		-	a direct support professional or another appropriate caregiver when using public transit 10
157		-	facilities. 11
158		-
159		-	(c) On or before October 1, 2025, the workgroup shall report its findings and 12
160		-	recommendations to the Maryland Transit Administrator and, in accordance with § 2–1257 13
161		-	of the State Government Article, the Senate Finance Committee and the House 14
162		-	Environment and Transportation Committee. 15
163		-
164		-	(d) After issuing the report under subsection (c) of this section, the workgroup 16
165		-	shall continue to assess the effectiveness of the proposed code of conduct and internal safety 17
166		-	program and recommend ongoing improvements. 18
167		-
168		-	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 19
169		-
170		-	(1) if the Maryland Transit Administration adopts a rider code of conduct 20
171		-	and implements a comprehensive internal safety program, with no further action required 21
172		-	by the General Assembly, Section 1 of this Act shall be abrogated and of no further force 22
173		-	and effect; and 23
174		-
175		-	(2) the Maryland Transit Administration shall notify the Department of 24
176		-	Legislative Services within 5 days after adoption of the rider code of conduct and 25
177		-	implementation of a comprehensive internal safety program as described in Section 2 of 26
178		-	this Act. 27
179		-
180		-	SECTION 2. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
181		-	October June 1, 2025. 29
	101	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 5
	102	+	October 1, 2025. 6
182	103