Maryland 2025 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB422 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/16/2025

                     
 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. 
        [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. 
          *hb0422*  
  
HOUSE BILL 422 
R5   	5lr1985 
      
By: Delegate Palakovich Carr 
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025 
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation 
 
A BILL ENTITLED 
 
AN ACT concerning 1 
 
Vehicle Laws – Bicycles, Play Vehicles, and Unicycles – Crosswalks 2 
 
FOR the purpose of authorizing a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle at an 3 
intersection who is facing a red signal to enter the intersection to cross the highway 4 
in the direction of a pedestrian control “walk” signal; and generally relating to the 5 
operation of bicycles, play vehicles, and unicycles at crosswalks. 6 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7 
 Article – Transportation 8 
Section 21–1202 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 
 
21–1202. 15 
 
 (a) Every person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter in a public bicycle area 16 
has all the rights granted to and is subject to all the duties required of the driver of a vehicle 17 
by this title, including the duties set forth in § 21–504 of this title, except: 18 
 
 (1) As otherwise provided in this subtitle; and 19 
 
 (2) For those provisions of this title that by their very nature cannot apply. 20 
 
 (b) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a person has the 21 
rights and is subject to the restrictions applicable to pedestrians under this title while the 22 
person is lawfully operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle: 23  2 	HOUSE BILL 422  
 
 
 
 (i) On a sidewalk or sidewalk area; or 1 
 
 (ii) In or through a crosswalk. 2 
 
 (2) [At] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, 3 
AT an intersection, a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle is subject to all 4 
traffic control signals, as provided in §§ 21–202 and 21–203 of this title. 5 
 
 (3) Section 21–506 of this title does not apply to a person operating a 6 
bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle. 7 
 
 (C) (1) UNLESS OTHERWIS E DIRECTED BY A TRAFFIC CONTROL DE VICE, 8 
A PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE, PLAY VEHICLE , OR UNICYCLE AT AN 9 
INTERSECTION WHO IS FACING A RED SIGNAL MAY ENTER THE INTERSECTION TO 10 
CROSS THE HIGHWAY IN THE DIRECTION OF A PEDESTRIAN CONTROL “WALK” 11 
SIGNAL. 12 
 
 (2) BEFORE ENTERING AN IN TERSECTION AS DESCRIBED IN 13 
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE, PLAY 14 
VEHICLE, OR UNICYCLE SHALL YIELD THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO ANY VEHICLE OR 15 
PEDESTRIAN LAWFULLY USING THE I NTERSECTION . 16 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17 
October 1, 2025. 18