WASHINGTON — Many of the laws taking effect in Maryland this Thursday have to do with driving.
- The speed limit on highways can be raised from 65 to 70 on a case-by-case basis. That’s happening first on I-68 in western Maryland. The State Highway Administration says it will study whether the speed limit can be safely raised in other locations.
- You can leave your car unattended and running for up to five minutes if it has a remote ignition system or if it’s on private property and locked.
- Any driver accused in a deadly crash and found to have a blood alcohol content above the legal limit will have their license suspended for at least six months. It used to be 45 days.
- Maryland State Police is required to develop an alert program to find missing drivers after hit-and-runs that result in serious injury.
- Other new state laws involve family issues, treatment of heroin overdoses, and new protections for interns.
- Couples are no longer required to have a one-year separation to get a divorce, if they don’t have any minor children in common and reach a settlement agreement that resolves issues such as alimony and distribution of property.
- Maryland social service agencies can keep children in foster care if there is severe abuse by biological parents, or if parents do not protect their kids from serious mistreatment.
- It’s easier to get naloxone, which reverses the effect of a heroin overdose, without a prescription.
- People with certain nonviolent misdemeanor criminal records will have their records blocked from public view under certain conditions after three years. The law is aimed at helping people with criminal records get jobs. It applies to people who have served their sentences, including probation and parole, and who have maintained clean records.
- People applying to be correctional officers are required to pass a polygraph exam.
- State bans on sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace are now extended to interns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
