Posted on 10/22/25
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 22, 2025 - As residents continue to voice frustration about certain taxes and fees in Maryland, Delegate Christopher Eric Bouchat said he plans to introduce legislation to get rid of the vehicle emissions inspection program.
"When it was conceived and implemented it had purpose and meaning, but since that time, the vehicle manufacturers have addressed all the issues with the emissions and brought down all the obnoxious emissions that were damaging to the environment," said Del. Bouchat, who is also planning to run for governor. "So now, the vehicle emissions program has just become a money net for the state government."
While the fee was put in place to protect the environment, this year, the fee increased from $14 to $30.
"Our state government is looking for any fee they can to try and net more revenue," Bouchat said.
"Those fees should be directly connected to expenses of the program and that's not how these fees are structured," he added.
Many other fee increases also went into effect this year, including higher vehicle registration costs. It now costs $120.50 in Maryland, meaning Maryland has become a national leader in the cost of vehicle registration. Only a few other states, including North Dakota, Illinois, Oregon and Montana are more expensive.
"It's too much for us to handle," Tony, who lives in Baltimore, said.
"It's crazy, they make you want to go to another state," Baltimore driver Derrick Queensberry said.
Recently, the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland released its latest report on Maryland’s housing market, which highlighted that between 2022 and 2024, Maryland ranked in the top 10 of all U.S. states for the largest net loss of residents to domestic migration. Maryland lost the most residents to Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, South Carolina, West Virginia and Delaware.
Earlier this year, during the budget discussions, Governor Wes Moore said many Marylanders would see tax cuts.
"I think that was political rhetoric to sell the idea and concept," Bouchat said. "The reality is what we are seeing in the economy, people are fleeing. They are tired of the rhetoric, they actually want some reform that is substantive, that's going to give relief to the citizens."
While Bouchat said he would like to see other fees rolled back, he said the emissions tests were a small way to start.
Bouchat said other Republicans have already expressed support for the bill, but it is unclear if other Democratic lawmakers will.