Maryland HB 343: School Bus Monitoring Cameras - Civil Penalty - Sunset Repeal

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0343*

HOUSE BILL 343
R5 9lr1877
CF 9lr1876
By: Delegates Lopez, Charkoudian, Ivey, Johnson, R. Lewis, Love, Mosby,
Palakovich Carr, Qi, Queen, Shetty, Smith, Stewart, and Wilkins
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2019
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

School Bus Monitoring Cameras – Civil Penalty – Sunset Repeal 2

FOR the purpose of repealing the termination date for a provision of law that increased the 3
maximum civil penalty for a violation recorded by a school bus monitoring camera 4
for failure to stop for a school vehicle operating alternately flashing red lights; and 5
generally relating to civil penalties for violations recorded by school bus monitoring 6
cameras. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 21–706 and 21–706.1(a)(6) and (e) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2018 Supplement) 12

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Chapter 744 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2017 14
Section 3 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Transportation 18

21–706. 19

(a) If a school vehicle has stopped on a roadway and is operating the alternately 20
flashing red lights specified in § 22–228 of this article, the driver of any other vehicle 21
meeting or overtaking the school vehicle shall stop at least 20 feet from the rear of the 22
school vehicle, if approaching the school vehicle from its rear, or at least 20 feet from the 23
front of the school vehicle, if approaching the school vehicle from its front. 24

2 HOUSE BILL 343

(b) If a school vehicle has stopped on a roadway and is operating the alternately 1
flashing red lights specified in § 22–228 of this article, the driver of any other vehicle 2
meeting or overtaking the school vehicle may not proceed until the school vehicle resumes 3
motion or the alternately flashing red lights are deactivated. 4

(c) This section does not apply to the driver of a vehicle on a divided highway, if 5
the school vehicle is on a different roadway. 6

(d) A person convicted of a violation of this section is subject to a fine not 7
exceeding $1,000. 8

21–706.1. 9

(a) (6) “Violation” means a violation of § 21–706 of this subtitle. 10

(e) (1) Unless the driver of the motor vehicle received a citation from a police 11
officer at the time of the violation, the owner or, in accordance with subsection (h)(5) of this 12
section, the driver of a motor vehicle is subject to a civil penalty if the motor vehicle is 13
recorded by a school bus monitoring camera during the commission of a violation. 14

(2) A civil penalty under this subsection may not exceed $500. 15

(3) For purposes of this section, the District Court shall prescribe: 16

(i) A uniform citation form consistent with subsection (f)(1) of this 17
section and § 7–302 of the Courts Article; and 18

(ii) A civil penalty, which shall be indicated on the citation, to be paid 19
by persons who choose to prepay the civil penalty without appearing in District Court. 20

Chapter 744 of the Acts of 2017 21

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2017. [It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2019, 23
with no further action required by the General Assembly, this Act shall be abrogated and 24
of no further force and effect.] 25

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 26
1, 2019. 27