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HB 433

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Danny Alvarez and 8 co-sponsors

HB 433 makes reckless and aggressive driving arrestable offenses with jail terms and raises aggressive driving fines to $1,000, aligning penalties and increasing court appearances.

Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/CS/SB 290
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Bill Summary · HB 433

Summary — HB 433 (Maryland): Motor Vehicles — Reckless Driving and Aggressive Driving — Penalties

Jurisdiction: Maryland General Assembly
Primary sponsor: Delegate Edelson
Status / key dates: Filed Jan 16, 2025; hearing noted Feb 13, 2025 (1:00 p.m.); bill text specifies effective date Oct 1, 2025.

Purpose

To increase and standardize criminal penalties for reckless driving and aggressive driving by making both explicitly incarcerable misdemeanors with defined jail terms and to align aggressive driving fines with reckless driving.

Key provisions

  • Rewrites penalty language for:
    • Reckless driving (driving in wanton/willful disregard for safety).
    • Aggressive driving (commission of three or more enumerated traffic offenses during a continuous driving episode).
  • Penalties established:
    • First offense: fine up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 30 days.
    • Second or subsequent offense within 3 years: fine up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 90 days.
  • Aggressive driving maximum fine increased from $500 to $1,000 (bringing parity with reckless driving).
  • Because incarceration becomes a possible sanction, these offenses will be “must-appear” charges (defendant may not use prepayment procedures).
  • Effective date: October 1, 2025 (per bill text).

Who/what is affected

  • Motor vehicle drivers convicted of reckless driving or aggressive driving in Maryland.
  • Courts — more cases will require in-person arraignment (“must-appear”).
  • Office of the Public Defender (OPD) — increased indigent defense caseload for incarcerable misdemeanors.
  • Correctional system — potential small increase in local/state incarceration costs (short sentences).
  • Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) consequences (points already apply under current law; the bill’s text does not change point assessments).

Fiscal and operational impacts (from Fiscal Note)

  • OPD: estimated general fund expenditure increase of at least $287,200 in FY2026 (cost to hire additional public defenders); higher in subsequent years.
  • Judiciary: can absorb implementation within existing resources.
  • State revenues: potentially minimal increase from higher fines (aggressive driving fine increase).
  • Local costs: potentially minimal increases for incarceration (counties generally bear costs for short local sentences).

How this changes current law (highlights)

  • Current law: reckless driving carries up to $1,000 fine (non‑incarcerable in practice for prepayment); aggressive driving carries up to $500 fine. Prepayment penalties exist (e.g., $510 prepayment for reckless driving; $370 for aggressive driving).
  • HB 433 makes incarceration an explicit sentencing option for both offenses and raises aggressive driving’s maximum fine to $1,000, thereby removing the ability to resolve some charges by simple prepayment and increasing indigent defense and court workload.

Notes

  • The bill uses a 3‑year lookback for repeat-offense penalty enhancement.
  • The fiscal estimate and operational impacts are preliminary and may change based on caseload and implementation practice.

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

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