Summary of HB 349 Hearing – Environment &
Transportation Committee (February 21, 2025)
Overview
The Environment & Transportation Committee (ENT)
held a hearing on HB 349, a bill sponsored by Delegate Chris
Valderrama on behalf of the Prince George’s County Delegation. The
bill seeks to increase fines for speed camera violations on Maryland
Route 210 (Indian Head Highway) to deter excessive speeding.
The hearing featured testimony from multiple witnesses,
including elected officials, law enforcement, community leaders, clergy, and
residents. All 19 witnesses testified in favor of HB 349, citing the
high number of fatalities, excessive speeding, and the failure of the current
$40 fine to deter reckless driving.
Key Testimony & Arguments in Favor of HB 349
1. Delegate Chris Valderrama – Bill Sponsor
- Clarified
that the bill does not add more speed cameras but instead increases
fines for violators.
- Past
versions of the bill included additional penalties for repeat offenders,
but that provision was removed for simplicity.
- The accuracy
of speed cameras had been a prior concern, but Prince George’s County
has since purchased state-of-the-art cameras, now in full
operation.
- HB
349 is necessary because:
- MD
210’s physical design encourages speeding (straight, flat, wide, and
originally built during WWII to transport munitions).
- Speed
calming measures are unrealistic due to the lack of space for
sidewalks, traffic signals, or additional lanes.
- Traffic
enforcement is inconsistent between Charles County (where state
police issue citations with variable fines) and Prince George’s County
(where the flat $40 fine applies regardless of speed).
- Argued
for parity with the Maryland Road Worker Protection Act, which applies
tiered fines from $60 to $500 in work zones.
2. Captain David Coleman – Prince George’s County Police
Department
- Strongly
supported the bill, citing that MD 210 serves over 80,000 vehicles
per day.
- Despite
existing enforcement efforts, MD 210 still sees an average of 5
fatalities per year, including 16 pedestrian deaths since 2019.
- Speed
camera data (August – December 2024) showed:
- 1,173
repeat offenders
- 906
offenders received 5+ citations
- One
driver had over 60 citations in just four months
- Conclusion:
The current $40 fine is insufficient to deter high-speed repeat offenders.
3. Testimony on Behalf of Prince George’s County Council
Chair Jolene Ivey
- Chair
Ivey was unable to attend due to illness, but her legislative
staffer delivered testimony on her behalf.
- Key
Points from Chair Ivey’s Testimony:
- MD
210 is one of the deadliest roads in Maryland, and Prince George’s
County residents have suffered far too many losses due to reckless
speeding.
- Local
governments need stronger tools to address high-speed violations
effectively.
- The current
$40 fine does not reflect the severity of the risk posed by extreme
speeders and must be increased to ensure compliance.
- HB
349 is a critical step toward safer roadways and aligns with other
efforts at the county level to enhance traffic safety.
- Urged
the committee to pass HB 349 and prioritize saving lives over minor
financial penalties.
4. Rev. Dr. Robert Screen – Pastor and Community Leader
- Spoke
on behalf of local faith-based organizations that support safer roads
for their congregations and communities.
- Framed
reckless speeding as a moral issue, emphasizing that preventable
deaths on MD 210 are a failure of responsibility.
- Highlighted
the burden on grieving families, recalling funerals he has presided
over for victims of speed-related crashes on MD 210.
- Addressed
the ethical responsibility of lawmakers, stating:
- "How
many more families must sit in my church pews mourning a loved one before
we take action? HB 349 isn’t just about fines—it’s about saving
lives."
- Urged
the committee to act now, not after another fatality.
5. Ron Weiss – Resident & MD 210 Traffic Safety
Committee Member
- Shared
personal experience of living near MD 210 for 40 years and feeling
unsafe.
- Noted
that two elected officials—Senator Muse and Delegate Valderrama—avoid
driving MD 210 due to the danger.
- Alternative
solutions are impractical:
- 24/7
police enforcement is unrealistic.
- Highway
reconstruction would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
- The
most effective option is using the speed cameras already in place
and increasing fines.
6. Additional Witnesses – Community Leaders &
Residents
- Repeated
themes:
- HB
349 is needed to protect families, pedestrians, and everyday drivers.
- Many
residents have personally witnessed or experienced crashes on MD 210.
- Speeding
is out of control, with drivers using emergency lanes and racing at
speeds over 150 mph.
Key Testimony Highlights:
- John
Seng (Maryland Coalition for Roadway Safety):
- Compared
Maryland’s speeding fines to other violations:
- Throwing
trash on the highway carries a $1,000 fine.
- Legally
racing at a track costs $100.
- Speeding
recklessly on MD 210 costs only $40.
- Urged
the committee to fix this disparity.
- Jennifer
Huggins (MD 210 Resident):
- Lived
in New York City and Boston, and visited Amsterdam, Cario, and Tokyo
and has never felt as unsafe as she does driving on MD 210.
- Called
MD 210 "14 miles of terror."
- Tolores
Holmes (Fort Washington Resident):
- Personal
plea: “When I leave this hearing today, I have to drive on MD 210.
There’s no guarantee I’ll make it home safely.”
- Called
for stronger penalties for reckless drivers.
Key Speed Camera Data Supporting HB 349
- New
speed camera vendor (Jenoptik) installed advanced cameras in mid-2024.
- Data
from July 2024 – January 2025 shows:
- 53,879
total citations
- 7,579
drivers received 2-4 citations
- 1,339
drivers received 5-9 citations
- 230
drivers received 10-14 citations
- High
speeds recorded:
- Every
camera clocked at least one car exceeding 100 mph each month.
- One
vehicle was clocked at 190 mph.
Final Appeal from Supporters
- Supporters
argued that failure to pass HB 349 would be "criminally
negligent."
- Delegate
Valderrama and community leaders urged the committee to pass HB 349 this
year, after previous failed attempts.
Conclusion & Next Steps
- All
testimony was in favor of HB 349.
- The
committee will review the bill’s fine structure and potential
amendments before deciding whether to move it forward.
- Supporters
urged immediate action to prevent more deaths on MD 210.
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