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.
*hb0007*
HOUSE BILL 7
R5 5lr1192
HB 511/24 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF SB 627
By: Delegates Boyce and Stewart
Requested: October 11, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 11, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Laws – Bicycles – Operation at Intersections 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing a person operating a bicycle that is approaching a stop sign 3
at an intersection on certain highways to cautiously make a turn or proceed through 4
the intersection without stopping if the person reduces the speed of the bicycle to a 5
reasonable rate and yields the right–of–way to certain vehicles under certain 6
circumstances; and generally relating to the operation of bicycles on highways. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 21–707 and 21–1202 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Transportation 15
21–707. 16
(a) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 17
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 18
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of the 19 2 HOUSE BILL 7
intersection at a clearly marked stop line. 1
(b) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 2
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 3
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of the 4
intersection and, if there is no clearly marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk. 5
(c) [Unless] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C–1) OF THIS SECTION, 6
AND UNLESS otherwise directed by a police officer or traffic control signal, the driver of a 7
vehicle approaching a stop sign at an intersection shall stop at the near side of an 8
intersection and, if there is no crosswalk, at the nearest point before entering the 9
intersection that gives the driver a view of traffic approaching on the intersecting roadway. 10
(C–1) WHEN APPROACHING A ST OP SIGN AT AN INTERS ECTION WITH A 11
HIGHWAY WITH TWO OR FEWER LANES FOR MOVI NG TRAFFIC, A PERSON OPERATING 12
A BICYCLE MAY CAUTIO USLY MAKE A TURN OR PROCEED THROUGH THE 13
INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOPPING IF THE P ERSON OPERATING THE BICYCLE: 14
(1) REDUCES THE SPEED OF THE BICYCLE TO A REA SONABLE RATE ; 15
AND 16
(2) YIELDS THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO: 17
(I) ANY VEHICLE IN THE IN TERSECTION; AND 18
(II) ANY APPROACHING VEHIC LE ON ANOTHER HIGHWA Y THAT 19
IS NEAR ENOUGH TO TH E INTERSECTION THAT IT P OSES AN IMMEDIATE DA NGER. 20
(d) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 21
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection at a clearly marked stop 22
line. 23
(e) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 24
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection and, if there is no clearly 25
marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk. 26
(f) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign at an intersection, if required 27
for safety to stop, shall stop at the near side of the intersection and, if there is no crosswalk, 28
at the nearest point before entering the intersection that gives the driver a view of traffic 29
approaching on the intersecting roadway. 30
21–1202. 31
(a) Every person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter in a public bicycle area 32
has all the rights granted to and is subject to all the duties required of the driver of a vehicle 33 HOUSE BILL 7 3
by this title, including the duties set forth in § 21–504 of this title, except: 1
(1) As otherwise provided in this subtitle; and 2
(2) For those provisions of this title that by their very nature cannot apply. 3
(b) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a person has the 4
rights and is subject to the restrictions applicable to pedestrians under this title while the 5
person is lawfully operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle: 6
(i) On a sidewalk or sidewalk area; or 7
(ii) In or through a crosswalk. 8
(2) At an intersection, a person operating a bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle 9
is subject to all traffic control signals, as provided in §§ 21–202 and 21–203 of this title. 10
(3) Section 21–506 of this title does not apply to a person operating a 11
bicycle, play vehicle, or unicycle. 12
(C) NOTWITHSTANDING § 21–707(A) THROUGH (C) OF THIS TITLE, WHEN 13
APPROACHING A STOP S IGN AT AN INTERSECTI ON WITH A HIGHWAY WI TH TWO OR 14
FEWER LANES FOR MOVI NG TRAFFIC, A PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE MAY 15
CAUTIOUSLY MAKE A TU RN OR PROCEED THROUG H THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT 16
STOPPING IF THE PERS ON OPERATING THE BIC YCLE: 17
(1) REDUCES THE SPEED OF THE BICYCLE TO A REA SONABLE RATE ; 18
AND 19
(2) YIELDS THE RIGHT –OF–WAY TO: 20
(I) ANY VEHICLE IN THE IN TERSECTION; AND 21
(II) ANY APPROACHING VEHIC LE ON ANOTHE R HIGHWAY THAT 22
IS NEAR ENOUGH TO TH E INTERSECTION THAT IT POSES AN IMMEDIAT E DANGER. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2025. 25