Legislative Alert March 11, 2006 - HB 1383/SB 429 - Right-of-Way - Penalties for Failure to Yield

The House of Delegates version of this bill will be heard on March 14, 2006 in the Environmental Matters Committee hearing room at 1 pm.  The Senate version of the bill was heard on February 16, 2006.

The right-of-way violation penalties bill provides for increased penalties for right-of-way violations when the violation contributes to an accident that results in bodily injury or death of an another person.

Under current law, the penalty for violating the right-of-way of another vehicle is $60 and one point against the offenders' license.  Even when a right-of-way violation is combined with another charge like negligent driving, the maximum fines and penalties for both charges would be $630 and seven points.

In many accidents of this nature, law enforcement and the courts cannot justify a higher charge that would include more severe penalties and the violators are given only minimal fines and penalties.  This bill seeks to give the courts the tools they need to penalize violators appropriately when serious injury or death occurs.

House of Delegates Environmental Matters Committee members are listed below.
Contact the committee members and ask them to vote for HB 1383.

Maggie L.McIntosh, Chair (410) 841-3990, (301) 858-3990,
e-mail: maggie_mcintosh@house.state.md.us (Baltimore City)

James E. Malone, Jr., Vice-Chair (410) 841-3378, (301) 858-3378,
e-mail: james_malone@house.state.md.us (Baltimore & Howard)

Rudolph C. Cane, (410) 841-3427, (301) 858-3427,
e-mail: rudolph_cane@house.state.md.us (Dorchester & Wicomico)

John W. E. Cluster, Jr., (410) 841-3365, (301) 848-3365,
e-mail: john_cluster@house.state.md.us  (Baltimore)

Barry Glassman, (410) 841-3289, (301) 858-3289,
e-mail: barry_glassman@house.state.md.us (Harford)

Patrick N. Hogan, (410) 841-3240, (301) 858-3240,
e-mail: patrick_n_hogan@house.state.md.us (Frederick)

J. B. Jennings, (410) 841-3334, (301) 858-3334,
e-mail: jb_jennings@house.state.md.us (Baltimore & Harford)

Tony McConkey, (410) 841-3223, (301) 858-3223,
e-mail: tony_mcconkey@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel)

Rosetta C. Parker, (410) 841-3326, (301) 858-3326,
e-mail: rosetta_parker@house.state.md.us (Prince George's)

Richard A. Sossi, (410) 841-3543, (301) 858-3543,
e-mail: richard_sossi@house.state.md.us (Caroline, Cecil, Kent, & Queen
Anne's)

Paul S. Stull, (410) 841-3107, (301) 858-3107,
e-mail: paul_stull@house.state.md.us (Frederick)

Michael H. Weir, Jr., (410) 841-3328, (301) 858-3328,
e-mail: michael_weir@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

John S. Arnick, (410) 841-3458, (301) 858-3458,
e-mail: john_arnick@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

Elizabeth Bobo, (410) 841-3205, (301) 858-3205,
e-mail: elizabeth_bobo@house.state.md.us (Howard)

William A. Bronrott, (410) 841-3019, (301) 858-3019
e-mail: william.bronrott@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Virginia P. Clagett, (410) 841-3211, (301) 858-3211,
e-mail: virginia_clagett@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel)

Barbara A. Frush, (410) 841-3114, (301) 858-3114,
e-mail: barbara_frush@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel & Prince George's)

Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., (410) 841-3098, (301) 858-3098,
e-mail: marvin_holmes@house.state.md.us (Prince George's)

Jane E. Lawton, (410) 841-3638, (301) 858-3638,
e-mail: jane.lawton@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Karen S. Montgomery, (410) 841-3380, (301) 858-3380,
e-mail: karen_montgomery@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Catherine E. Pugh, (410) 841-3030, (301) 858-3030,
e-mail: catherine.pugh@house.state.md.us (Baltimore city)

Joan F. Stern, (410) 841-3045, (301) 858-3045,
e-mail: joan_stern@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Address letters to:
Lowe House Office Building
84 College Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401

Bill Information (House):
http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/billfile/hb1383.htm
Bill Information (Senate):
http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/billfile/sb0429.htm

Obtain information about members of the House of Delegates via this link:
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hse.html

Locate your legislators via this link:
http://mdelect.net/

Contact your legislators via this link:
http://www.mlis.state.md.us/cgi-win/mail32.exe

ABATE of Maryland, Inc.
http://www.abate-of-maryland.org
mdabate@erols.com