# Maryland SB 0578: Public Safety - Department of State Police - Police-Initiated Towing - Alterations Maryland SB 0578, Public Safety - Department of State Police - Police-Initiated Towing - Alterations, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mary-Dulany James (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 528); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0578-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0578 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Public Safety - Department of State Police - Police-Initiated Towing - Alterations - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-04 - Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 528 - Sponsor: Mary-Dulany James (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Public Safety, Committees and Commissions, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Reports, Shipping -see also- Delivery Services, State Police, Department of, Towing - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (228 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New complaint process for police tows: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, you, your driver, or your designee can file a complaint about a police‑ordered tow. The State Police must take complaints, investigate, and decide cases. They can suspend or remove a tow company from the State Police tow list. - State committee to set tow rates: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, a state committee helps set approved towing rates and improve complaint handling. It includes towing industry, trucking groups, State Police, highway officials, and the insurance regulator. Members serve 3‑year terms, get staff support, no pay, and expense reimbursement.… - Limits on police-ordered towing prices: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the State Police set maximum approved rates for light‑, medium‑, and heavy‑duty tows done under police direction. The approved light‑duty rate must be no more than 80% of the approved medium‑duty rate. Tow companies on the State Police list cannot charge by the pound. The… - Police towing now covers all vehicles: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, police‑initiated towing rules apply to all motor vehicles, not just commercial ones. The law also defines light‑duty towing as vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, including trailers and semitrailers. If your car is towed at the direction… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mary-Dulany James (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 138 | 0 | 2 | | 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | 2 | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | | ## Actions (16) - 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 528 - 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (138-0) (House) - 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments {783527/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation (House) - 2026-03-25: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-09: Referred Environment and Transportation (House) - 2026-03-06: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Favorable with Amendments {843927/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-02-04: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_528_sb0578e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-03: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-04: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578f.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_528_sb0578e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0578f.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-SB0578-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).