# Maryland HB 0474: Vehicle Laws - Dangerous Accumulations of Snow and Ice - Removal From Exposed Vehicle Surfaces (Clear Before You Drive Act) Maryland HB 0474, Vehicle Laws - Dangerous Accumulations of Snow and Ice - Removal From Exposed Vehicle Surfaces (Clear Before You Drive Act), is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Edith J. Patterson (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 668); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0474-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 0474 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Vehicle Laws - Dangerous Accumulations of Snow and Ice - Removal From Exposed Vehicle Surfaces (Clear Before You Drive Act) - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-23 - Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 668 - Sponsor: Edith J. Patterson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 11 - Subjects: Vehicle Laws - Rules of the Road, Accidents, Civil Offenses, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Injury, Law Enforcement -see also- SRO; Sheriffs; State Police, Motor Vehicles -see also- Aband Veh; Ambulances; Buses; etc., Motor Vehicle Operation, Occupational Safety, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Property Damage, Repeat Offenders, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Towing, Weather - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (171 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Fines for snow and ice on vehicles: cost, medium. Starting October 1, 2026, fines apply if you drive or tow without clearing dangerous snow or ice. For noncommercial vehicles: $25 first offense, $50 second, $100 third, $200 fourth or later. For commercial vehicles: $75 first, $150 second, $300 third, $600 fourth, $1,000 fifth or later. If this vio… - Clear snow and ice before driving: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, you must make reasonable efforts to clear snow and ice that can threaten people or property. Clear it from exposed surfaces like the hood, roof, windshield, each window, truck cabs, and the tops of trailers before driving or towing. Police enforce this only as a secondary… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Edith J. Patterson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nick Allen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dylan Behler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Linda Foley (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andrea Fletcher Harrison (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Marc Korman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Robbyn Lewis (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Darrell Odom (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dana Stein (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Todd B. Morgan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Veronica Turner (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Natalie Ziegler (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-08 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 | | 2026-03-04 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 127 | 0 | 6 | ## Actions (13) - 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 668 - 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Favorable Adopted (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Third Reading Passed (127-0) (House) - 2026-03-03: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-03-03: Favorable with Amendments {683026/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-03-02: Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation (House) - 2026-01-28: Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-01-23: First Reading Environment and Transportation (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_668_hb0474t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-03: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0474t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-23: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0474f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_668_hb0474t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0474t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0474f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0474-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).