Subcommittee amends and advances police-initiated towing reforms aimed at clearer rates and insurance reporting

ANNAPOLIS — The Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee adopted amendments to House Bill 30 and reported the bill favorably on Feb. 19, 2026, after staff and witnesses clarified rate-setting and insurance-reporting provisions related to police-initiated towing.

Chair Delegate Robin Lewis said the measure is part of ongoing towing-reform efforts and asked committee staff to walk members through a reprint. Patrick described edits to clarify that the State Police would set rates for police-initiated towing and recovery, remove obsolete dates, and add light-duty vehicles (under 10,000 pounds) to the bill’s coverage. He said the amendments establish a cap for light-duty towing rates at 80% of medium-duty rates.

Andrea Mansfield, present to answer questions, described recurring insurance issues that affect tow operators: when at-fault drivers are insured and registered out of state, Maryland’s Insurance Administration may have limited authority to compel payment, and federally required minimum coverage levels can be insufficient to cover large cleanup costs for debris and cargo. "These have been... very complicated, and we learned that very quickly," Mansfield told the subcommittee, and she recommended that the committee request a report that brings together the Insurance Administration, Maryland Motor Truck representatives and other parties to identify next steps.

Members moved and seconded the amendments and voted to adopt them. The chair then put the motion to move the bill as amended; members answered "aye" and the bill as amended was passed out of the subcommittee.

The subcommittee also asked the joint committee on rate setting and related bodies to examine insurance matters and payment obligations so tow companies are not left unpaid for cleanup and recovery work.

HB30 will proceed as amended to the next stage of legislative consideration.