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.
*hb1481*
HOUSE BILL 1481
O3 5lr3473
By: Delegates Hill, Kaufman, and Patterson Patterson, Pena–Melnyk, Cullison,
Alston, Bagnall, Bhandari, Chisholm, Guzzone, Hutchinson, S. Johnson,
Kaiser, Kerr, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Reilly, Rosenberg,
Szeliga, Taveras, White Holland, Woods, Woorman, and Ross
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
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 mobility aid; 4
requiring the Department of Disabilities to implement and administer the Program, 5
solicit request, apply for, and facilitate certain donations for the Program, study the 6
impacts of the Program, and report on the Program on or before a certain date; and 7
generally relating to the Adapted Vehicle 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 2 HOUSE BILL 1481
7–1201. 1
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3
(B) “ADAPTED VEHICLE ” MEANS A MOTOR VEHICL E THAT HAS BEEN 4
MODIFIED TO BE OPERATED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO REQUIRES A WHEELCHAIR FOR 5
MOBILITY MOBILITY AID. 6
(C) “DEPARTMENT ” MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES. 7
(D) “DONATION” MEANS THE VOLUNTARY TRANSFER OF PROPERTY, 8
SERVICES, OR FUNDS TO THE PROGRAM OR AN ELIGIBL E INDIVIDUAL. 9
(D) (E) “ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO : 10
(1) REQUIRES A WHEELCHAIR FOR MOBIL ITY MOBILITY AID; 11
(2) IS A LICENSED DRIVER ; AND 12
(3) IS QUALIFIED TO DRIV E AN ADAPTED VEHICLE . 13
(E) (F) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE ADAPTED VEHICLE ACCESS PILOT 14
PROGRAM. 15
7–1202. 16
(A) THERE IS AN ADAPTED VEHICLE ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM. 17
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE ADAPTE D VEHICLES TO 18
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR O THER PROGRAM S OFFERED BY 19
THE DEPARTMENT THAT PROVI DE ACCESS TO ADAPTED VEHICLES. 20
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER THE 21
PROGRAM. 22
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SELECT ELIGIBLE INDI VIDUALS TO 23
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND SHALL PRIORITIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDE 24
IN AREAS WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRA NSPORTATION . 25
(E) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SOLICIT REQUEST, APPLY FOR, AND 26
FACILITATE DONATIONS OF VEHICLE S, VEHICLE MODIFICATION AND ADAPTATION 27 HOUSE BILL 1481 3
SERVICES, AND FUNDS FROM INDIVIDUALS OR PUBLIC OR PRIVATE CO RPORATIONS 1
TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. 2
(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY APPLY FOR, RECEIVE, AND SPEND 3
FEDERAL FUNDS AND GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR USE IN CARRYING OUT THE 4
PROGRAM. 5
(F) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL STUD Y THE IMPACTS OF THE PROGRAM ON 6
THE RECIPIENTS’ INDEPENDENCE , MOBILITY, JOB OPPORTUNITIES , AND 7
DEPENDENCY ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES. 8
(G) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2028, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 9
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 10
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE PILOT PROGRAM. 11
(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 12
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE : 13
(I) THE NUMBER OF RECIPI ENTS OF VEHICLES UND ER THE 14
PROGRAM; 15
(II) INFORMATION REGARDIN G HOW THE PROGRAM HAS 16
AFFECTED THE RECIPIE NTS’ INDEPENDENCE , MOBILITY, JOB OPPORTUNITIES , AND 17
DEPENDENCY ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES; 18
(III) INFORMATION REGARDIN G THE AVAILABILITY O F 19
VEHICLES, MODIFICATION AND ADA PTATION SERVICES , AND FUNDS; AND 20
(IV) A RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER THE PROGRAM SHOULD 21
BE EXTENDED OR EXPAN DED. 22
(3) IN REPORTING THE DATA REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (2)(II) 23
OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS T O 24
ANONYMIZE THE DATA T O PROTECT THE PRIVAC Y OF RECIPIENTS. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of September 27
30, 2030, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 28
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 29