EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1481*
HOUSE BILL 1481
O3 5lr3473
By: Delegates Hill, Kaufman, and Patterson
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Disability Services – Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program – Established 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program to provide 3
adapted vehicles to individuals who require a wheelchair for mobility; requiring the 4
Department of Disabilities to implement and administer the Program, solicit certain 5
donations for the Program, study the impacts of the Program, and report on the 6
Program on or before a certain date; and generally relating to the Adapted Vehicle 7
Access Pilot Program. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Human Services 10
Section 7–1201 and 7–1202 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 12. Adapted 11
Vehicle Access Pilot Program” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Human Services 17
SUBTITLE 12. ADAPTED VEHICLE ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM. 18
7–1201. 19
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
2 HOUSE BILL 1481
(B) “ADAPTED VEHICLE ” MEANS A MOTOR VEHICL E THAT HAS BEEN 1
MODIFIED TO BE OPERATED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO REQUIRES A WHEELCHAI R FOR 2
MOBILITY. 3
(C) “DEPARTMENT ” MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES. 4
(D) “ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO : 5
(1) REQUIRES A WHEELCHAI R FOR MOBILITY; 6
(2) IS A LICENSED DRIVER ; AND 7
(3) IS QUALIFIED TO DRIV E AN ADAPTED VEHICLE . 8
(E) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE ADAPTED VEHICLE ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM. 9
7–1202. 10
(A) THERE IS AN ADAPTED VEHICLE ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM. 11
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE ADAPTE D VEHICLES TO 12
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR O THER PROGRAM S OFFERED BY 13
THE DEPARTMENT THAT PROVI DE ACCESS TO ADAPTED VEHICLES. 14
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER THE 15
PROGRAM. 16
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SELECT ELIGIBLE INDI VIDUALS TO 17
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND SHALL PRIORITIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDE 18
IN AREAS WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRA NSPORTATION . 19
(E) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SOLICIT DONATIONS OF VEHICLES, 20
VEHICLE MODIFICATION AND ADAPT ATION SERVICES, AND FUNDS FROM 21
INDIVIDUALS OR PUBLI C OR PRIVATE CORPORA TIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE 22
PROGRAM. 23
(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY APPLY FOR, RECEIVE, AND SPEND 24
FEDERAL FUNDS AND GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR USE IN CARRYING OUT THE 25
PROGRAM. 26
(F) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL STUD Y THE IMPACTS OF THE PROGRAM ON 27
THE RECIPIENTS’ INDEPENDENCE , MOBILITY, JOB OPPORTUNITIES , AND 28
DEPENDENCY ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES. 29 HOUSE BILL 1481 3
(G) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2028, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 1
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 2
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE PILOT PROGRAM. 3
(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 4
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE : 5
(I) THE NUMBER OF RECIPI ENTS OF VEHICLES UND ER THE 6
PROGRAM; 7
(II) INFORMATION REGARDIN G HOW THE PROGRAM HAS 8
AFFECTED THE RECIPIE NTS’ INDEPENDENCE , MOBILITY, JOB OPPORTUNITIES , AND 9
DEPENDENCY ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES; 10
(III) INFORMATION REGARDIN G THE AVAILABILITY OF 11
VEHICLES, MODIFICATION AND ADA PTATION SERVICES , AND FUNDS; AND 12
(IV) A RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER THE PROGRAM SHOULD 13
BE EXTENDED OR EXPAN DED. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 15
October 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of September 16
30, 2030, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 17
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 18