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SB 965

Motor Vehicles - Out-of-State Drivers - Automated Enforcement (Out-of-State Driver Accountability Act)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nick Charles

Maryland counties and towns must quarterly report to the Vision Zero coordinator all out-of-state automated citations, including status and payments, starting Oct 1, 2026.

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings
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Bill Summary · SB 965

Summary of Senate Bill 965 (SB 965) - Out-of-State Driver Accountability Act

Jurisdiction: Maryland | Session: 2026 | Introduced by: Senator Charles

Purpose

SB 965 establishes a requirement for each county and municipal automated traffic enforcement program to report, on a quarterly basis, certain details about citations issued to motor vehicles registered in another state. The overarching aim is to improve accountability and visibility of automated enforcement actions against out-of-state drivers within Maryland’s Vision Zero framework.

Key Provisions

  • and to Section renumbering:

    • Repeals/renumbers certain existing sections and adds a new Section 8–1006, with associated renumbering of 8–1007 and 8–1008, as part of conforming changes to the Transportation Article.

  • Vision Zero framework:

    • Reaffirms the Vision Zero program and its coordinator, whose goal is to reduce vehicle-related deaths and serious injuries with an objective target of zero by 2030.

  • Applicability:

    • Applies to county and municipal automated traffic enforcement programs that operate:
    • Traffic control signal monitoring systems
    • Automated railroad grade crossing enforcement systems
    • School bus monitoring cameras
    • Stop sign monitoring systems
    • Speed monitoring systems
    • Work zone speed control systems
    • Bus lane monitoring systems
    • Noise abatement monitoring systems
    • Vehicle height monitoring systems
    • Any other county or municipal automated traffic enforcement system authorized under State law

  • Quarterly reporting to the Vision Zero coordinator:

    • For each citation issued during the quarter to a motor vehicle registered in another state, the program must report: 1) The license plate number and state of registration 2) Whether the citation has been paid 3) Whether the citation is past due

  • Quarterly report contents:

    • Each quarterly report must:
    • Include the information described above for the previous quarter
    • Update previously reported information to reflect citations that have been paid and are no longer past due
    • Provide a cumulative summary of:
      • Citations issued to out-of-state-registered vehicles
      • The number of citations paid
      • The number of citations past due

  • Coordination:

    • The Vision Zero coordinator must collaborate with county and municipal programs to implement these reporting requirements.

Timeline

  • Effective date: October 1, 2026
  • Reporting begins for quarters after the act takes effect (i.e., starting with the first full calendar quarter after October 1, 2026)

Impact and Implications

  • Who is affected:

    • County and municipal automated traffic enforcement programs across Maryland
    • The Vision Zero coordinator (for oversight and data collection)
    • Motorists with vehicles registered in another state who receive automated-enforcement citations in Maryland

  • Data and transparency:

    • Creates a centralized, quarterly, state-level view of out-of-state citations
    • Facilitates tracking of payment status and delinquencies for out-of-state drivers
    • Produces cumulative metrics on out-of-state citations and payments

  • Financial/operational impact:

    • State finances are not materially affected
    • Local agencies may incur minimal administrative costs to compile and transmit quarterly reports
    • No direct change to citation issuance or penalties; the bill focuses on reporting and oversight

Optional Considerations

  • Privacy and data handling: The bill requires sharing license plate and registration state data with the Vision Zero coordinator; readers may want to consider how data is stored and who has access.
  • Intergovernmental coordination: Success relies on effective collaboration between state-level Vision Zero staff and local enforcement programs.

Legislative History (as of document)

  • First Reading: February 13, 2026
  • Committee: Rules
  • Notable actions: Favorable with Amendments Report (April 13, 2026)
  • Related cross-file: HB 210 (Environment and Transportation)

If you’d like, I can present a side-by-side comparison with current law language or provide a plain-language Q&A for stakeholders (local governments, law enforcement, and motorists).

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

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