Maryland lawmaker wants to end emissions testing

A Maryland lawmaker plans to introduce legislation to get rid of the state’s biannual emissions test.

The price of the test in Maryland more than doubled this year from $14 to $30.

State Del. Christopher Eric Bouchat, R-Carroll and Frederick counties, says that test basically is useless these days. Newer cars have much more updated emissions standards, he said, and, essentially, cars today are coming off the lot clean.

“The system in place now is obsolete and no longer needed,” Bouchat said.

According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, more than 90% of cars pass the emissions test.

Bouchat says the fees just to likely pass the test add up.

“Even though it’s a small amount — say, $30 per person — but for your family, you have a couple of teenage kids, you got them all on cars, that adds up,” he said. “It winds up just being a money net for the state government as an excuse to pull in revenue.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the number of registered vehicles in Maryland was about 4.9 million as of this year. If each gets tested every two years, that adds up to about $150 million in revenue for the state every two years.

Bouchat argues not having to operate the state’s emissions testing centers themselves offsets that loss of revenue.

Most cars that were made in 1995 or earlier are exempt from the emissions test in Maryland, as are motorcycles.