EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1216*
HOUSE BILL 1216
R4 5lr2869
HB 1459/24 – HRU
By: Delegates Acevero, Alston, Amprey, Crutchfield, Martinez, Rogers,
Sample–Hughes, Wims, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Registration – Fee Exemptions – Military Honorees 2
FOR the purpose of exempting recipients of the Purple Heart, the Medal of Honor, the 3
Silver Star, or the Bronze Star and members of Gold Star families from the 4
requirement to pay vehicle registration fees; and generally relating to vehicle 5
registration fee exemptions. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 13–903(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Transportation 14
13–903. 15
(a) The following vehicles are exempt from the registration fees specified in this 16
subtitle: 17
(1) A vehicle that is owned and operated by the United States, this State, 18
or any political subdivision of this State; 19
(2) A vehicle that is owned by a volunteer fire company incorporated in this 20
State or by a rescue squad and that is used for fire fighting or ambulance purposes; 21
(3) A canteen wagon of a recognized fire buff organization, as certified by 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1216
the International Fire Buffs Association; 1
(4) A vehicle owned and operated by the Civil Air Patrol; 2
(5) A vehicle owned and operated by a unit of a national veterans’ 3
organization; 4
(6) A vehicle owned and operated by a Maryland chapter of the American 5
Red Cross; 6
(7) A motor vehicle and trailer known as the “40–8 box car” that is owned 7
and operated only for social or charitable purposes by any voiture of the Forty and Eight of 8
the American Legion, Department of Maryland; 9
(8) A vehicle owned by, or leased to, and personally used by a veteran who: 10
(i) As designated or classified by the U.S. Department of Veterans 11
Affairs, has lost the use of a hand, arm, or leg, or is totally disabled; or 12
(ii) Has a permanent impairment of both eyes so that: 13
1. The central visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye, 14
with corrective glasses; or 15
2. There is a field defect in which the peripheral field has 16
contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular 17
distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye; 18
(9) A vehicle owned and personally used by an individual who is the 19
surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran, as defined under § 7–208 of the Tax – 20
Property Article; [and] 21
(10) A VEHICLE OWNED BY , OR LEASED TO, AND PERSONALLY USED BY 22
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS : 23
(I) A PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT ; 24
(II) A MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT ; 25
(III) A SILVER STAR RECIPIENT; 26
(IV) A BRONZE STAR RECIPIENT; OR 27
(V) A MEMBER OF A GOLD STAR FAMILY; AND 28
(11) A Type I or Type II school vehicle owned and operated by a religious 29 HOUSE BILL 1216 3
organization. 1
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 2
October 1, 2025. 3