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.
*hb0744*
HOUSE BILL 744
R5 5lr0823
CF SB 590
By: Delegates Wims, Edelson, Addison, Foley, Guyton, Harris, Hill, Kaufman,
Lopez, McComas, Palakovich Carr, Phillips, Schindler, Solomon, Spiegel,
Taylor, Toles, and Wolek Wolek, Behler, Boyce, R. Lewis, Stewart, and
Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Motor Vehicles – Reckless, Negligent, and Aggressive Driving 2
(Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act) 3
FOR the purpose of altering the penalties and points assessments related to the offenses of 4
reckless, negligent, and aggressive driving; adding certain motor vehicle offenses as 5
elements that may contribute to charges for reckless or aggressive driving; and 6
generally relating to motor vehicle offenses. 7
BY repealing 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 16–402(a)(17) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
BY renumbering 13
Article – Transportation 14
Section 16–402(a)(13) through (16) and (28) through (46) 15
to be Section 16–402(a)(14) through (17) and (29) through (47), respectively 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19 2 HOUSE BILL 744
Article – Transportation 1
Section 16–402(a)(13) and (28) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 4
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Transportation 6
Section 21–901.1 and 21–901.2 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 9
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That Section(s) 16–402(a)(17) of Article – Transportation of the Annotated Code of 11
Maryland be repealed. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section(s) 16–402(a)(13) 13
through (16) and (28) through (46) of Article – Transportation of the Annotated Code of 14
Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 16–402(a)(14) through (17) and (29) through (47), 15
respectively. 16
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That the Laws of Maryland read 17
as follows: 18
Article – Transportation 19
16–402. 20
(a) After the conviction of an individual for a violation of Title 2, Subtitle 5, § 21
2–209, § 3–211, or § 10–110 of the Criminal Law Article, or of the vehicle laws or regulations 22
of this State or of any local authority, points shall be assessed against the individual as of 23
the date of violation and as follows: 24
(13) NEGLIGENT DRIVING ……………………………………… ... 2 POINTS 25
(28) SPEEDING IN EXCESS OF THE POSTED SPEED LIM IT BY 30 MILES 26
PER HOUR OR MORE ……………………………………………………………… .. 6 POINTS 27
21–901.1. 28
(a) A person is guilty of reckless driving if [he] THE PERSON drives a motor 29
vehicle: 30
(1) In wanton or willful disregard for the safety of persons or property; [or] 31
(2) In a manner that indicates a wanton or willful disregard for the safety 32
of persons or property; OR 33 HOUSE BILL 744 3
(3) AT A SPEED AT LEAST 30 MILES PER HOUR ABOVE THE POSTED 1
SPEED LIMIT. 2
(b) A person is guilty of negligent driving if [he] THE PERSON drives a motor 3
vehicle in a careless or imprudent manner that endangers any property or the life or person 4
of any individual. 5
(c) (1) A person convicted of a violation of subsection (a) of this section is 6
subject to IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 60 DAYS OR a fine not exceeding $1,000 OR 7
BOTH. 8
(2) A PERSON CONVICTED OF A VIOLATION OF SUBSE CTION (B) OF 9
THIS SECTION IS SUBJ ECT TO A FINE NOT EX CEEDING $750. 10
21–901.2. 11
(A) A person is guilty of aggressive driving if the person commits [three] TWO or 12
more of the following offenses at the same time or during a single and continuous period of 13
driving in violation of: 14
(1) § 21–201 OF THIS TITLE (FAILURE TO OBEY TRAFF IC CONTROL 15
DEVICE OR LEAVING RO ADWAY TO AVOID TRAFF IC CONTROL DEVICE ); 16
(2) § 21–202 of this title (Traffic lights with steady indication); 17
[(2)] (3) § 21–303 of this title (Overtaking and passing vehicles); 18
[(3)] (4) § 21–304 of this title (Passing on right); 19
(5) § 21–305 OF THIS TITLE (DRIVING LEFT OF CENTE R OF ROADWAY 20
IN OVERTAKING AND PA SSING VEHICLE); 21
(6) § 21–307 OF THIS TITLE (DRIVING ON LEFT IN NO –PASSING ZONE); 22
[(4)] (7) § 21–309 of this title (Driving on laned roadways); 23
[(5)] (8) § 21–310 of this title (Following too closely); 24
[(6)] (9) § 21–403 of this title (Failure to yield right–of–way); [or] 25
(10) § 21–502(A)(2) OF THIS TITLE (FAILURE TO STOP FOR 26
PEDESTRIAN IN CROSSW ALK); 27
4 HOUSE BILL 744
(11) § 21–502(C) OF THIS TITLE (OVERTAKING AND PASSIN G VEHICLE 1
STOPPED FOR PEDESTRI AN IN CROSSWALK ); 2
(12) § 21–706 OF THIS TITLE (OVERTAKING AND PASSIN G SCHOOL 3
VEHICLE STOPPED AND OPERATING ALTERNATEL Y FLASHING RED LIGHT S); 4
(13) § 21–707 OF THIS TITLE (STOP SIGNS AND YIELD SIGNS); 5
[(7)] (14) § 21–801.1 of this title (Exceeding [a] maximum speed limit or 6
posted maximum speed limit); 7
(15) § 21–1117 OF THIS TITLE (SKIDDING, SPINNING WHEELS , AND 8
EXCESSIVE NOISE ); 9
(16) § 21–1131 OF THIS TITLE (DISCHARGING DIESEL EM ISSIONS ONTO 10
ANOTHER); 11
(17) § 21–1209(A) OF THIS TITLE (AVOIDING COLLISION AN D 12
OVERTAKING AND PASSING BICYCLE , EPAMD, OR MOTOR SCOOTER ); 13
(18) § 21–1303(C) OF THIS TITLE (MOTORCYCLE OVERTAKING AND 14
PASSING IN SAME LANE AS ANOTHER VEHICLE ); OR 15
(19) § 21–1303(D) OF THIS TITLE (MOTORCYCLE OPERATING 16
BETWEEN LANES OF TRA FFIC OR VEHICLES ). 17
(B) A PERSON CONVICTED OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT T O 18
A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000. 19
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2025. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.