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HB 1500

An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in preliminary provisions, providing for Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council and further providing for advertising and sponsorships; in pupils and attendance, further providing for exceptional children and education and training; in charter schools, further providing for definitions, for funding for cyber charter schools, for powers and duties of department and for assessment and evaluation, providing for fund balance limits, further providing for cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions, providing for cyber charter school fund balance accountability, further providing for establishment of cyber charter school, for cyber charter school application, for enrollment and notification, for enrollee wellness checks and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations and providing for cyber charter school moratorium; and, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for extraordinary special education program expenses.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lisa Borowski and 38 co-sponsors

Maryland allows nonresidents with a neighboring state’s Class B CDL and endorsements to obtain a Maryland Class B CDL with school-bus or passenger endorsements.

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Bill Summary · HB 1500

Summary — HB 1500 (Maryland): Commercial Driver’s Licenses — Out‑of‑State Residents — School Buses or Passenger Vehicles

Note: “HB 1500” is a bill number used in multiple states for unrelated measures (e.g., Arkansas tax repeal, Indiana education bills). This summary covers the Maryland HB 1500 titled “Commercial Driver’s Licenses – Out–of–State Residents – School Buses or Passenger Vehicles” (introduced by Delegate Kerr).

Purpose / Intent

To permit the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to issue a Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) with school‑bus or passenger‑vehicle endorsements to certain nonresidents — specifically, applicants who hold the equivalent Class B license and endorsements from a neighboring state. The stated intent is to increase flexibility for employers and drivers across state lines while preserving state CDL standards.

Key Provisions

  • Amends Transportation Article §16‑817 to add an exception to the existing prohibition on issuing CDLs to nonresidents.
  • New subsection (d): MVA may issue a Class B CDL with additional state‑issued endorsements to a nonresident who:
    1. Is not a Maryland resident; and
    2. Holds the equivalent of a Class B CDL and the appropriate equivalent endorsements from the driver‑licensing authority of a neighboring state.
  • Existing federal/state restrictions remain in force (e.g., age limits for interstate operation, hazardous materials endorsement restrictions as set elsewhere in law and federal regulations).
  • The bill text specifies an effective date; enacted legislative records also show a statewide effective date — see “Timeline / Status” below.

Who is Affected

  • Nonresident drivers from neighboring states who already hold equivalent Class B CDLs and school‑bus or passenger endorsements — they may be eligible to obtain a Maryland Class B CDL with the corresponding endorsements.
  • Maryland school systems, private school bus operators, transit and paratransit providers, and other employers that hire CDL Class B drivers may gain a larger hiring pool.
  • The MVA will implement the administrative change; procedural updates and staff training may be required.

Procedural / Timeline

  • Introduced and read first time February 13, 2025. Passed through legislative process (committee actions and floor votes) and enrolled.
  • Legislative record shows the bill was signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025.
  • Effective date in legislative actions is listed as September 1, 2025; the bill text itself states October 1, 2025. (There is a discrepancy between the enrolled/recorded effective date and the date stated in the bill text — confirm with the official session law or state register for the final effective date.)

Related / Administrative Notes

  • Companion/related measures noted in the materials: SB 884 (Maryland).
  • The bill does not remove or modify federal CDL safety standards; applicants must still meet all applicable state and federal requirements for commercial licensure and endorsements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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