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.
*hb1375*
HOUSE BILL 1375
R6 5lr2439
By: Delegate Stein Delegates Stein, Addison, Foley, Healey, and Terrasa
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Equipment – Portable Variable Messaging Signs – Authorization 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing a tow truck to display a portable variable messaging sign 3
mounted on the tow truck while at the scene of an accident a crash or a disabled 4
vehicle; and generally relating to portable variable messaging signs. 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Transportation 7
Section 22–218(c)(1) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Transportation 12
Section 22–218(c)(6) and 22–218.2(a) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Transportation 18
22–218. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 1375
(c) (1) A person may not drive or move on any highway any vehicle or 1
equipment that is equipped with or displays any light or signal device designed to emit an 2
oscillating, rotating, blinking, or other type of emission of light, unless designated and 3
authorized by the Administrator as indicated in paragraphs (2) through (13) of this 4
subsection. The provisions of this section do not prohibit the display and use of any lighting 5
device that may be permitted or required elsewhere in the Maryland Vehicle Law. 6
(6) (i) Service vehicles, waste or recycling collection vehicles, rural 7
letter carrier vehicles, slow moving farm vehicles, and tow trucks may be equipped with or 8
display yellow or amber lights or signal devices. 9
(ii) Highway maintenance and service equipment or vehicles owned 10
by the State or a local jurisdiction, or operating under a contract with the State or a local 11
jurisdiction, that are equipped with and displaying yellow or amber flashing lights while in 12
use for snow removal or the protection of highway ma intenance workers may 13
simultaneously be equipped with and display green flashing lights in a number up to the 14
number of yellow or amber flashing lights equipped and displayed. 15
(III) 1. A TOW TRUCK MAY DISPLAY A PORTABLE VARIABLE 16
MESSAGING SIGN MOUNTED ON THE TOW TRUCK WHILE AT THE SCENE O F AN 17
ACCIDENT A CRASH OR A DISABLED VEHICL E. 18
2. THE PORTABLE VARIABLE MESSAGING SIGN SHALL : 19
A. CONFORM TO THE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED IN THE 20
MANUAL ON UNIFORM TR AFFIC CONTROL DEVICE S ADOPTED BY THE STATE 21
HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION UNDER § 25–104 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 22
B. DISPLAY ONLY THOSE MESSAGES APPROVED FO R USE 23
BY THE STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION . 24
22–218.2. 25
(a) (1) One or more amber flashing lights may be displayed: 26
(i) By a tow truck while at the scene of an accident or a disabled 27
vehicle or while towing a vehicle; and 28
(ii) By snow removal and other highway maintenance and service 29
equipment and escort vehicles. 30
(2) Highway maintenance and service equipment or vehicles owned by the 31
State or a local jurisdiction, or operating under a contract with the State or a local 32
jurisdiction, may display green flashing lights only in accordance with § 22–218(c)(6) of this 33
subtitle. 34
HOUSE BILL 1375 3
(3) A TOW TRUCK MAY DISPLA Y A PORTABLE VARIABL E MESSAGING 1
SIGN ONLY IN ACCORDA NCE WITH § 22–218(C)(6) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2025. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.