Panel adopts amendment expanding MVA enforcement options, holds further work on registration bill
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Summary
A judicial committee adopted amendments to Senate Bill 111 expanding Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) enforcement tools — including tag pickup orders, reciprocal agreements, trailer-registration changes and a license-suspension pathway — but the committee held the bill for more drafting on scope and enforcement details.
The Judicial Proceedings Committee on Feb. 20 adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 111 that broadens how the Motor Vehicle Administration may enforce state vehicle-registration requirements but agreed to continue work on the bill to refine enforcement language.
Legislative counsel told the committee the bill as reprinted directs the MVA to issue warnings during a 60-day compliance period, assess civil fines for noncompliance after 60 days and refer persistent noncompliance to local jurisdictions after 120 days. The amendment added provisions allowing the MVA to issue "tag pickup orders" for out-of-state registration plates being displayed unlawfully and to enter reciprocal automated-enforcement agreements with other jurisdictions, language drawn from Senate Bill 173.
Counsel said the amendment would "allow the administration to take possession of license plates" issued by another jurisdiction but displayed by a person who has been a Maryland resident for more than 60 days and who has failed to comply with two or more traffic citations or whose license is suspended under specified child-support provisions. The amendment also added a mechanism under which the MVA may suspend a person's driving privilege if the owner fails to validly register a vehicle within 120 days and the person has outstanding citations; reinstatement would follow proper registration and satisfaction of cited obligations.
Committee members raised practical and equity concerns. One senator asked whether suspending a driving privilege is proportionate when a person can otherwise lawfully operate a vehicle with a valid license; another pointed to enforcement costs and the likelihood the penalties will fall on people already struggling with fines. Counsel and members discussed whether including the vehicle identification number (VIN) as mandatory on every citation was necessary; state police raised officer-safety and fiscal concerns and the committee signaled that VIN tracking could be handled via policy systems rather than statutory mandate.
The amendment also expressly allows trailers to be registered out of state while keeping motor-vehicle registration requirements in Maryland. Members asked about impacts on farmers, freight companies and insurance coverage; counsel said the change is limited to trailers and that motor vehicles remain subject to Maryland registration.
The sponsor agreed to adopt the amendment but asked to continue work on several unresolved issues — notably whether a state's attorney or a county attorney should bring civil REM (forfeiture or related) actions and the precise cross-references to suspension statutes. The committee adopted the amendment as drafted and then held the bill for further drafting and consultation.
Next steps: the committee adopted the amendment and signaled staff and sponsors will redraft specified provisions (VIN handling, civil-action plaintiff, and the suspension cross-references) before returning the bill for a future vote.