New Maryland laws include ending Noah’s Law loophole, protecting children online

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – At the stroke of midnight, new laws took effect in Maryland on Tuesday, October 1st. Those laws stretch from increasing safety for everyone on the roadways to making it safer for children online.  

One new law, in particular, ends the Noah’s Law loophole. The loophole essentially lets those caught driving drunk off the hook from being required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle if they received probation before judgment. 

That ends on Tuesday.  

Noah’s law first passed in 2016 in memory of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, who was killed by a drunk driver the year before. Advocates, including Noah’s father, Rich Leotta, have been fighting to close the loophole for nearly a decade. 

“This is not just for Noah,” said Rich Leotta on Monday,” what always bothers me is … it took a public face to put in front to make smart decisions. I mean this tool basically just changes behavior and saves lives. It’s bene a long journey. Nine years for me, from first Noah’s Law to now. But we’re finally closing the loophole and making sure everyone that is arrested for impaired driving will get an interlock. 

The ignition interlock device works like a breathalyzer test in your car that has to be blown into before the driver is allowed to start their vehicle. Rich Leotta says he and advocates don’t know how many lives the device will save, but do know that about 70% of the time, when an ignition interlock device is required, those using the device do not repeat it. 

READ MORE: Driver who struck, killed Officer Noah Leotta sentenced to 10 years in prison

There’s another big change now in place that seeks to protect children while online. It’s referred to as the “Maryland Kids Code.” 

Part of the measure will now prohibit big tech companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google from collecting certain data on kids and teens under 18-years-old.

An advocate for the bill previously told FOX 5, in 2022, social media sold $11 billion-worth of ads targeted at children. 

“I think it’s much needed. There’s too much going on and kids don’t know what to do with that kind of information, that kind of access, it’s just too much,” said Alexandra Brown in Silver Spring on Tuesday morning. 

READ MORE: Maryland lawmakers pass bill aimed at protecting kids online

Debra Etsy both agreed and disagreed. “Parents deal with so much and [there’s] so many avenues where children can get involved in things that they shouldn’t. And a little control is a good thing. But then again, I see the other option that it could be a bad thing. So, I’m kind of mixed to be honest with you – I’m really mixed about it, but parents need to have a little bit more control of what their children watch,” Etsy told FOX 5. 

Here’s the full list of laws taking effect October 1st from the Maryland General Assembly.