HB 178 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Vehicle Laws - Stopping, Standing, or Parking in a Bike Lane or Bicycle Path - Prohibition

HB 178 prohibits drivers from stopping, standing, or parking vehicles in bike lanes or bicycle paths in Maryland. It directly affects vehicle operators who might park or stop in designated bicycle infrastructure. The bill amends Maryland’s vehicle laws by adding Section 21-1003(gg) to explicitly ban such parking, defining "bike lane" as roadway sections for single-direction bicycle flow and "bicycle path" as physically separated travelways. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Sep 2024

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Sep 19, 2024 Last action Mar 17, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Vehicle Laws - Stopping, Standing, or Parking in a Bike Lane or Bicycle Path - Prohibition → Third - Vehicle Laws - Stopping, Standing, or Parking in a Bike Lane or Bicycle Path - Prohibition · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to clarify that it includes exceptions and civil penalties for stopping, standing, or parking in bike lanes or bicycle paths. The changes add specific exemptions for emergency vehicles, transit vehicles, vehicles transporting disabled individuals, disabled vehicles, and vehicles loading or unloading goods, along with defined time limits and requirements for hazard lights. A new subsection establishes graduated fines for commercial motor vehicle violations and sets a civil penalty for general violations.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include specific exceptions and civil penalties that were not explicitly detailed in the original version.

ENFORCEMENT

Added specific civil penalties: $100 for first offense, $250 for second offense, and $500 for third or subsequent offenses for commercial motor vehicle violations in Anne Arundel County.

Added a general civil penalty not exceeding $500 for violations of the bike lane or bicycle path prohibition.

ELIGIBILITY

Added exemptions for authorized emergency vehicles, transit vehicles, vehicles picking up or discharging individuals with disabilities, unintentionally disabled vehicles, and vehicles loading or unloading goods (with conditions on time limits and hazard lights).

REQUIREMENT

Modified the loading/unloading exception to require either a maximum 30-minute period (unless local law imposes a shorter time) or the display of flashing hazard warning lights.

TECHNICAL

Added committee report and house action status indicating favorable with amendments and adoption on March 5, 2025.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

118–15

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 139

Mar 7, 2025

D Democratic100

98 Yea 2

98% Yea

R Republican39

20 Yea 15 Nay 4

51% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Judicial Proceedings

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation

lower

Mar 7, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (118-15-6)

house of delegates

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Environment and Transportation

lower

Sep 19, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors