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1070
LAWS OF MARYLAND
Ch. 354
AN ACT concerning
Deaf and Hearing Impaired Persons - Interpreters -
Hearings and Public Gatherings
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Secretary of Health and
Mental Hygiene to provide, upon request, qualified
interpreters to assist deaf persons at certain hearings
and public gatherings, allowing selection of qualified
interpreters from certain directories; and allowing the
Secretary to maintain a separate list of qualified
interpreters from which selections may be made.
requiring State departments, agencies, and the Maryland
General Assembly in certain instances to provide, upon
request, interpreters to assist deaf persons at certain
hearings.
BY adding to
Article 30 - Deaf, Mute or Blind
Section 2
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1976 Replacement Volume and 1978 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:
Article 30 - Deaf, Mute or Blind
2.
AT ANY PUBLIC MEETING OR HEARING CONDUCTED BY ANY STATE
DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OR BY THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE SHALL PROVIDE,
UPON 24-HOUR NOTICE, A QUALIFIED INTERPRETER TO ASSIST DEAF
PERSONS. THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE MAY
CONSULT THE DIRECTORY OF INTERPRETERS FOR MANUAL
COMMUNICATION OR ORAL INTERPRETATION WHICH IS MAINTAINED BY
THE COURTS OF THIS STATE TO ASSIST DEAF PERSONS. THE
SECRETARY MAY ALSO MAINTAIN A SEPARATE LIST OF QUALIFIED
INTERPRETERS FROM WHICH SELECTIONS MAY BE MADE. THE
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY INVOLVED, UPON 5 DAYS' WRITTEN NOTICE
AND TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE AND POSSIBLE, SHALL PROVIDE A
QUALIFIED INTERPRETER TO ASSIST DEAF PERSONS TO UNDERSTAND
THE PROCEEDING. WHETHER THE PROVISION OF AN INTERPRETER IS
FEASIBLE SHALL BE DETERMINED, IN EACH INSTANCE, BY THE
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY INVOLVED BASED UPON THE NATURE OF THE
HEARING AND THE NUMBER OF DEAF PERSONS MAKING THE REQUEST.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1979.
Approved May 14, 1979.
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