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Proposed bill would prevent police in Maryland from pulling drivers over for certain offenses

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Proposed bill would prevent police in Maryland from pulling drivers over for certain offenses


BALTIMORE — A proposed bill in Maryland is getting some attention after the Harford County Sheriff’s Office shared a social media video criticizing the measure. 

Senate Bill 292 would prevent police officers in the state from pulling drivers over for certain infractions like littering out of a car window, failing to use a turn signal, driving with a broken head- or taillight, and driving or parking in a bus lane. 

The offenses would become secondary actions, meaning officers could not use those offenses as the primary reason for a traffic stop. The bill would also define illegal U-turns and an expired registration as secondary offenses.

If an officer failed to comply with the provisions of the bill, they could face disciplinary action and any evidence gathered during that traffic stop would be inadmissible in court. 

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Officers would be required to document stops

Under the proposed bill, officers in Maryland would be required to document and follow certain procedures for all traffic stops. 

When initiating a traffic stop, an officer would be required to show identification and provide their name, badge number and affiliated agency to the driver along with the reason for the stop. The officer would also have to document the reason for the stop. 

Failure to comply would again result in disciplinary action, but would not exclude evidence found during the stop. 

The bill would also allow citizens to record a police officer’s actions as long as the citizen is acting legally and safely. 

The Maryland General Assembly is expected to discuss the bill during a hearing Tuesday. If passed, it would take effect in October 2025. 

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Harford County Sheriff’s Office criticizes proposed bill 

Legislative Alert: If you drive a motor vehicle on Maryland roadways, you will want to spend a few minutes and hear about a proposed law change that will have a hearing tomorrow in the Maryland Senate.

Posted by Harford County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, January 27, 2025

In a video shared on social media, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler and other members of the department highlighted infractions that would become secondary offenses under the bill. 

“…This bill sponsor went the additional measure to make sure that it’s pointed out that if a police officer mistakenly pulls someone over, that that officer is subject to administrative discipline,” Sheriff Gahler said in the video. “You really cannot make this stuff up.” 

Other bills in the 2025 legislative session 

There are plenty of other major bills to keep an eye on as the 2025 legislative session continues. 

The Maryland General Assembly has yet to vote on Governor Wes Moore’s proposed 2026 budget that would tackle a $2.7 billion budget crisis. 

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The proposed budget would bring major tax cuts for 66% of state residents and increase taxes for the highest earners. The budget would also raise the sports betting tax from 15% to 30%, the table game tax from 20% to 25% and the cannabis tax from 9% to 15%. 

The proposed budget would also cut $111 million in state funding from the University System of Maryland, and allocate $3.63 million to Maryland’s Department of Transportation for projects across the state.

State leaders are planning to introduce a bill that could gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $20. The legislation would create a constitutional amendment ballot question in November 2026. 



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Maryland

Deadly motorcycle crash closes busy stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Montgomery Co. – WTOP News

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Deadly motorcycle crash closes busy stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Montgomery Co. – WTOP News


A deadly crash involving a motorcycle shut down a stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, early Tuesday.

A deadly crash involving a motorcycle shut down a stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, early Tuesday.

Montgomery County police said officers responded around 6:15 a.m. to a report of a crash involving a car and a motorcycle at Manor Road and Connecticut Avenue.

A motorcyclist was found in serious condition. Police said the man died at the scene.

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A woman driving the car was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Connecticut Avenue is closed in both directions between Jones Bridge Road and Manor Road as police investigate the collision.

The crash is the latest in a series of deadly motorcycle incidents across Maryland, including a deadly hit-and-run in Charles County that left one man dead Saturday.

A map of the area is below.

CLICK MAP FOR THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FROM THE WTOP TRAFFIC CENTER: Map shows closure of Connecticut Avenue in both directions, south of Interstate 495 in Chevy Chase, Md.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



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Maryland House passes bill to end automatic charging of some juveniles as adults

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Maryland House passes bill to end automatic charging of some juveniles as adults


Maryland lawmakers have approved a bill that would end the automatic charging of certain juveniles as adults and is now on its way to the governor’s office for review.

The Youth Charging Reform Act passed the House of Delegates on Monday after clearing the Senate last week. The bill aims to end the automatic charging of 16- and 17-year-olds as adults for certain drug, assault, and gun offenses.

ALSO READ | Bill to end automatic charging of some juveniles as adults inches closer to passage

The bill drew significant opposition from several top prosecutors in Maryland, including Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.

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For months, they’ve warned that the change could weaken accountability and pose public safety risks.

“DJS is not equipped to deal with these increased violent offenders, and the legislature should defer the implementation of this bill until the programs are in place,” McCarthy said.

Maryland sheriffs also joined the pushback, including Carroll County Sheriff Jim Dewees, who previously said, “This is not a smart move, by any means, I don’t like it because, and I think by and large, law enforcement doesn’t like it, because we don’t have a whole lot of trust in the juvenile court system and the DJS system.”

ALSO READ | FOX45 sends video of prosecutors’ concerns to lawmakers backing juvenile justice bill

Supporters of the bill argued that most cases end up in the juvenile system regardless, and therefore, it makes sense to start them in the Department of Juvenile Services.

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“They’re already ingesting that work anyway; they’re already doing that workload anyway,” Sen. Will Smith, lead sponsor of the legislation, previously told FOX45 News. “We’re just wasting time and money by sending them to the adult system first.”

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The bill now awaits at Gov. Wes Moore’s desk for a final decision.



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B-W Parkway to close for bridge replacement

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B-W Parkway to close for bridge replacement


WBAL

Maryland Route 295

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SOURCE: WBAL

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Baltimore-Washington Parkway, exit ramps to close in Jessup for bridge replacement

WBAL logo

Updated: 10:31 AM EDT Apr 6, 2026

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A portion of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway will close for two weekends in Jessup, where a bridge will be demolished.Check our LIVE traffic map and cameras in the WBAL-TV 11 News appThe Maryland State Highway Administration said Maryland Route 295 ramps will close, weather permitting, at Maryland Route 175 for an interchange reconstruction project.Southbound MD 295 will close between Maryland Routes 100 and 32 starting at 10 p.m. on April 10 until 5 a.m. on April 13 with the following lane and ramp closures.Both ramps from MD 100 onto southbound MD 295.Both ramps from Arundel Mills Boulevard onto southbound MD 295.Southbound MD 295 ramp to eastbound and westbound MD 175.Westbound MD 175 ramp to southbound MD 295.Northbound MD 295 will close between Maryland Routes 32 and 100 starting at 10 p.m. on April 17 until 5 a.m. on April 20 with the following ramp closures.Both ramps from MD 32 onto northbound MD 295.Eastbound MD 175 ramp to northbound MD 295.Northbound MD 295 ramp to eastbound and westbound MD 175.The mainline MD 175 lanes on the new bridge will remain open to traffic. The SHA said signs will be posted for detours to include MD 100, Interstate 95 and MD 32. Those going to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport are advised to use alternate north-south routes such as I-95, U.S. Route 1 or I-97 to reach I-195.The overall interchange reconstruction project completion is scheduled for Fall 2027, schedule and weather permitting.

A portion of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway will close for two weekends in Jessup, where a bridge will be demolished.

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The Maryland State Highway Administration said Maryland Route 295 ramps will close, weather permitting, at Maryland Route 175 for an interchange reconstruction project.

Southbound MD 295 will close between Maryland Routes 100 and 32 starting at 10 p.m. on April 10 until 5 a.m. on April 13 with the following lane and ramp closures.

  • Both ramps from MD 100 onto southbound MD 295.
  • Both ramps from Arundel Mills Boulevard onto southbound MD 295.
  • Southbound MD 295 ramp to eastbound and westbound MD 175.
  • Westbound MD 175 ramp to southbound MD 295.

Northbound MD 295 will close between Maryland Routes 32 and 100 starting at 10 p.m. on April 17 until 5 a.m. on April 20 with the following ramp closures.

  • Both ramps from MD 32 onto northbound MD 295.
  • Eastbound MD 175 ramp to northbound MD 295.
  • Northbound MD 295 ramp to eastbound and westbound MD 175.

The mainline MD 175 lanes on the new bridge will remain open to traffic.

The SHA said signs will be posted for detours to include MD 100, Interstate 95 and MD 32.

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Those going to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport are advised to use alternate north-south routes such as I-95, U.S. Route 1 or I-97 to reach I-195.

The overall interchange reconstruction project completion is scheduled for Fall 2027, schedule and weather permitting.

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