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Sponsor calls for parity in penalties for hit-and-run on waterways
Summary
Senate Bill 123, presented as a cross-file of House Bill 676, would align penalties for hit-and-run incidents on Maryland waterways with land-based crimes. Sponsor said the case of a constituent whose spouse died in a boating hit-and-run illustrated the disparity; committee members asked about maritime legal differences and enforcement.
Senator Simon Aray presented Senate Bill 123 (cross-file of House Bill 676) on March 26, asking the Judiciary Committee to make hit-and-run on Maryland waterways subject to the same penalties that apply on land.
Sponsor description and motivation
Senator Aray said the legislation responds to a constituent case in which a fatal boating collision was followed by the other vessel leaving the scene and receiving a relatively small citation. The bill would expand the statutory crime to make it applicable "whether an individual is on land or sea," and increase penalties where a person leaves the scene of a boating accident that results in serious bodily injury or death.
Questions from the committee
Members asked whether maritime law differs from land-based criminal statutes and whether differing governing authorities (federal maritime law versus state criminal law) would pose conflicts. The sponsor argued that some crimes are location-neutral and that leaving the scene of a crash that causes serious injury or death should be treated the same on water or land.
Next steps
The sponsor asked the committee to advance the bill and said he is open to committee amendments. No formal vote was recorded at the hearing.
