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HB 1533

Exempting the disclosure of certain information of agency employees or their dependents who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, or stalking.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Emily Alvarado and 23 co-sponsors

Allows MVA to share nonpublic digital photos and signatures with Baltimore City's Special Investigations Unit to enforce illegal dumping and litter-control laws.

Effective date 5/15/2023.
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Bill Summary · HB 1533

Summary — HB 1533

Motor Vehicle Administration Records — Access to Digital Photographic Images and Signatures — Baltimore City

Purpose

Authorize the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to make digital photographic images and electronic signatures in its records available to the Special Investigations Unit of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) — or its successor — to assist Baltimore City in enforcing State and local illegal dumping and litter-control laws.

Key provisions

  • Amends Transportation Article §12‑111 to explicitly include the Special Investigations Unit of Baltimore City DHCD (or its successor) within the set of entities that may receive MVA digital photographic images or signatures.
  • Leaves intact existing limits on public access: MVA continues to prohibit public inspection of digital images/signatures except as provided by law.
  • Retains the existing list of permitted recipients (courts; criminal justice agencies; driver license authorities; the individual and their attorney; third parties designated by the individual; and the Child Support Administration) and adds the Baltimore City Special Investigations Unit by definition (the bill treats that Unit as a “criminal justice agency” for this purpose).
  • The bill text (as introduced) set an effective date of October 1, 2025; legislative records show the enacted measure was signed and made effective in 2025 (see timeline below).

Who is affected

  • Baltimore City DHCD — specifically its Special Investigations Unit (or any successor entity designated by the City) — gains access to MVA-held digital images and signatures for enforcement work.
  • Motor Vehicle Administration — required (consistent with existing procedures) to provide access to those specified non‑MVA entities.
  • Vehicle owners/operators in Baltimore City — potentially subject to more-effective identification in civil enforcement of illegal dumping and litter-control violations captured by surveillance systems.
  • Courts and the District Court process may continue to be involved where recipients use MVA images in administrative or judicial proceedings.

Relationship to existing law and enforcement context

  • The change complements Maryland’s Illegal Dumping and Litter Control framework (Criminal Law §§10‑110 and 10‑112), which authorizes Baltimore City to use surveillance systems at repeatedly dumped-on public properties. Under §10‑112, surveillance images that show a vehicle’s plate and an individual committing litter/dumping violations may lead to civil citations (up to $1,000 for dumping at monitored sites).
  • Under Maryland’s Public Information Act and existing MVA practice, access to MVA-stored digital images and signatures has been limited; MVA already has procedures to provide such images to authorized government entities.

Fiscal and operational impact

  • According to the Department of Legislative Services fiscal note:
    • State government: no material fiscal impact; MVA already maintains procedures for these disclosures.
    • Baltimore City: not anticipated to materially affect finances or operations, though it may make identification and enforcement of illegal dumping easier and could have a deterrent effect.
    • Small businesses: no direct fiscal effect identified.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced (filed): December 5, 2024 (listed as Delegate Wells by request of Baltimore City Administration in the bill text).
  • Public hearing (initially reported): March 12, 2025.
  • Legislative history (compiled entries) indicates the bill passed both chambers, was sent to and signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025, and made effective later in 2025 (legislative entries report an effective date of September 1, 2025, while the introduced text listed October 1, 2025).
  • The bill applies specifically to Baltimore City and to the designated Special Investigations Unit (or successor).

Additional context

  • The statutory change is narrowly tailored to allow a specific Baltimore City enforcement unit to receive nonpublic MVA images/signatures for litter/dumping enforcement; it does not expand general public access to those MVA records.

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

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