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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="13-406.1" title_number="13" title_name="Vehicle Laws -- Certificates of Title and Registration of Vehicles" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Registration of Vehicles">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Law enforcement agency” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A state, county, or municipal police department or agency;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A sheriff’s office; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A federal law enforcement agency.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Outstanding warrant” means an arrest warrant that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A law enforcement agency has attempted, but failed, to serve on the individual named in the warrant due to the inability to locate the individual; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Is at least 31 days old.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Primary law enforcement officer” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>In a municipal corporation, the chief of police, if any, or the chief’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>In a county that has a county police department, the chief of police or the chief’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>In a county without a police department, the sheriff or the sheriff’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>In Baltimore City, the Police Commissioner or the Police Commissioner’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The Secretary of State Police; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>The principal law enforcement officers of a federal law enforcement agency or the officer’s designee.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to subsection (h) of this section, on notification by a law enforcement agency that an applicant for vehicle registration is named in an outstanding warrant, the Administration shall refuse to register or transfer the registration of any vehicle owned by the applicant.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before refusing to register or transfer the registration of a vehicle under subsection (b) of this section, the Administration shall notify the applicant of the proposed action and inform the applicant of the applicant’s right to contest the accuracy of the information on which the refusal is based.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any contest under this subsection shall be limited to whether the Administration has mistaken the identity of the individual named in the outstanding warrant or the individual whose registration or transfer of registration has been refused.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>An individual named in an outstanding warrant may appeal a decision of the Administration under this section to refuse to register or transfer the registration of the individual’s vehicle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>An applicant shall be referred to the law enforcement agency that notified the Administration of the outstanding warrant to resolve any question of whether the outstanding warrant has been satisfied.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Administration shall continue the refusal to register or transfer the registration of a vehicle owned by an individual named in an outstanding warrant until:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Administration is ordered by a court to register or transfer the registration of the vehicle; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A law enforcement agency notifies the Administration that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The individual named in the outstanding warrant has been arrested; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The outstanding warrant has been otherwise satisfied.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>On receipt of an order or notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Administration shall allow the applicant to register the vehicle or transfer the registration unless the registration or transfer has been restricted under any other provision of the Maryland Vehicle Law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Administration, in consultation with the primary law enforcement officers of the State, shall adopt regulations to implement this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The regulations shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Criteria that a law enforcement agency must meet prior to notifying the Administration that an individual is named in an outstanding warrant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A procedure for informing an individual named in an outstanding warrant:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>That the registration or transfer of the registration of the individual’s vehicle has been refused; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Of the manner in which the individual may contest or resolve the refusal;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A procedure that must be followed by a law enforcement agency to notify the Administration of changes in the status of an outstanding warrant; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>A procedure for the Administration to carry out the refusal of registration as authorized under this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>If a law enforcement agency meets the criteria established under subsection (g) of this section, the Administration shall enter into an agreement with the appropriate primary law enforcement officer that provides for the notification to the Administration of persons named in outstanding warrants.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In addition to any other fee or penalty provided by law, the owner of a vehicle refused registration under this section shall pay a fee established by the Administration before renewal of the registration of the vehicle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The fee under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be retained by the Administration and may not be credited to the Gasoline and Motor Vehicle Revenue Account for distribution under § 8-403 or § 8-404 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The procedures specified in this section are in addition to any other penalty provided by law for the failure to meet the demands specified in a warrant.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>This section may not be construed to require the Administration to arrest a person named in an outstanding warrant.</text>
  </level>
</section>
