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HB 1527

An Act reenacting and amending the act of July 7, 2017 (P.L.285, No.14), entitled "An act establishing the Rare Disease Advisory Council and providing for its powers and duties; and providing for duties of the Department of Health, the Insurance Department, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education."

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ryan Bizzarro and 13 co-sponsors

Prince George’s County may run a pilot allowing video tips of illegal dumping, with rewards of up to half the fines for convictions.

Re-referred to Appropriations
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1527

Summary — HB 1527

Prince George’s County — Illegal Dumping and Litter Control Law — Video Evidence and Reward Programs

Status: Referred (Rules)
Introduced: Filed Dec 5, 2024; effective date (if enacted): October 1, 2025
Sponsor / Cross-file: Delegate Roberts; crossfile SB 525 (Senator Charles)
Termination: Pilot authority and related provisions expire September 30, 2030

Purpose

HB 1527 authorizes the governing body of Prince George’s County to establish a pilot program that lets members of the public submit video evidence of alleged violations of Maryland’s Illegal Dumping and Litter Control Law. The program creates a financial reward incentive for successful citizen-submitted video evidence and clarifies collection and allowable uses of fines in Prince George’s County.

Key provisions

  • Pilot program authority: The governing body of Prince George’s County may (not must) establish a pilot program permitting public submission of video evidence of alleged litter/illegal dumping violations to the appropriate enforcement unit. (Committee substitute narrowed earlier language that would have required each county to do so.)
  • Reward for video tipsters: If video submitted through the pilot leads to a conviction under the Illegal Dumping and Litter Control Law, the member of the public who submitted the video is entitled to receive half of the total fines collected in relation to that violation.
  • Use of fines (Prince George’s County exception): Fines collected in Prince George’s County may be used to pay:
    1. maintenance costs associated with the pilot program,
    2. litter receptacles and posting signs (as required by existing law),
    3. litter removal programs, oversight, and operations performed by the unit that supervises State property, and
    4. rewards to members of the public who submit video evidence through the pilot.
  • Collection of unpaid fines: The county governing body may refer unpaid outstanding fines to the State’s Central Collection Unit (CCU) for collection.
  • Duration: The provision is a time-limited pilot; it terminates automatically on September 30, 2030.

Who is affected

  • Prince George’s County residents and visitors (both potential tipsters and individuals subject to enforcement).
  • County enforcement units responsible for receiving, reviewing, and acting on video submissions.
  • County government (program administration, use of fine revenue).
  • State Central Collection Unit when unpaid fines are referred.

Fiscal and operational impact

  • State finances: No material effect.
  • Local (Prince George’s County): One-time estimated expenditure of $50,000 in FY2026 to purchase a secure server or related infrastructure if the county implements the pilot. Ongoing costs depend on program scale and fine revenue flows. The fiscal note indicates county revenues are not materially affected overall.
  • CCU: If unpaid fines are referred, CCU may assess its administrative fee (authorized up to 20% of outstanding principal and interest; current practice is 17%) and use collection mechanisms available under State law.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Effective date provision: October 1, 2025 (if enacted).
  • Pilot sunsets September 30, 2030 (automatic abrogation).
  • The bill was narrowed in committee from a statewide mandate to authorizing a local pilot in Prince George’s County.

Considerations

  • The measure aims to increase reporting and enforcement of illegal dumping via citizen-submitted video evidence, but implementation will require secure intake systems, protocols to validate evidence, privacy and chain-of-custody procedures, and administrative oversight to manage rewards and disbursement. The referral-to-CCU option provides a mechanism to pursue unpaid fines.

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

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