New Laws in Maryland Effective October 1, 2018

From new names on rest areas to snowmobiles on one county’s highways, some Maryland laws took effect on Monday, Oct. 1, that could make a noticeable difference. Other new laws are subtler, rooted in research, such as the Maryland Health Care Commission’s task to look at whether health care providers could access a patient’s prescription history or the mandate that employers with at least 50 employees submit a survey about cases of sexual harassment in the workplace. Here’s a sample of the laws that took effect Oct. 1, 2018.

Roads And Motor Vehicles

• The State Highway Administration can sell naming rights of public rest areas to private entities.
• The Maryland Transportation Authority is renaming the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge. It will now be called the Harry W. Nice/Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge.
• Snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles are allowed on parts of some highways in Allegany County at 25 mph.
• Disability placards expire when someone dies and can be issued to nonresidents in Maryland for medical treatment.
• Some people with a learner’s permit can take a provisional driver’s license test sooner than before.
• The Motor Vehicle Administration can provide birth certificate copies if they are on record with the Maryland Department of Health.
• Parking a disabled, inoperable or immobilized vehicle on a public street for more than seven days is now prohibited in Washington County.
• Non airport taxicab drivers cannot solicit passengers at the airport; they may go to a parking lot.

Corrections/Law Enforcement

• Prisons are required to offer feminine hygiene products for menstruation.
• Correctional facilities must have care for pregnant inmates and offer child placement assistance.
• It is now a crime for law enforcement to have sex with a person in custody.
• The Commission to Restore Trust in Policing is required to submit a report by Dec. 31, 2019, after reviewing the audits of the Baltimore City Police Department and its Gun Trace Task Force.