HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                    2015

(g) (1) Any person or persons, firm, or corporation, or the
agent of any person or persons, firm, or corporation, who denies
or interferes with admittance to or enjoyment of the public
facilities enumerated in this section, or otherwise interferes
with the rights of a blind or visually handicapped person or a
deaf or hearing impaired person under this section, is guilty of
a misdemeanor and subject upon conviction to a fine not exceeding
$500 for each offense.

(2) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER REMEDY PROVIDED UNDER
THIS CODE FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE, ANY INDIVIDUAL, FIRM,
OR CORPORATION, OR THE AGENT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL, FIRM, OR
CORPORATION, WHO DENIES OR INTERFERES WITH ADMITTANCE TO OR
ENJOYMENT OF THE PUBLIC FACILITIES ENUMERATED IN THIS SECTION, OR
OTHERWISE INTERFERES WITH THE RIGHTS OF A BLIND OR VISUALLY

HANDICAPPED PERSON OR A DEAF OR HEARING IMPAIRED PERSON UNDER
THIS SECTION, MAY BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL ACTION FOR DAMAGES OR FOR
INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.

(h) Each year the Governor shall take suitable public
notice of October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. He shall issue a
proclamation in which he comments upon the significance of the
white cane; calls upon the citizens of the State to observe the
provisions of the White Cane Law and to take precautions
necessary to the safety of the visually handicapped; reminds
citizens of the State of the policies with respect to the blind
and urges the citizens to cooperate in giving effect to them;
emphasizes the need of the citizens to be aware of the presence
of visually handicapped persons in the community and to keep safe
and functional for the blind or visually handicapped the streets,
highways, sidewalks, walkways, public accommodations, public
buildings, public facilities, other public places, amusement and
resort, and other places to which the public is invited; and
offers assistance to the blind or visually handicapped person
upon appropriate occasions.

(i) (1) Blind or visually handicapped persons shall be
entitled to full and equal access, as other members of the
general public, to all housing accommodations offered for rent,
lease, or compensation in the State of Maryland, subject to the
conditions and limitations established by law, or State or
federal regulations, and applicable to all persons alike.

(2)  "Housing accommodations" means any real property,
or portion thereof, which is used or occupied or is intended,
arranged, or designed to be used or occupied, as the home,
residence, or sleeping place of one or more human beings, but
does not include any accommodations, included within paragraph
(1) of this subsection, or any single family residence, the
occupants of which rent, lease, or furnish for compensation not
more than one room therein.

(3)  Nothing in this section requires any person
renting or leasing housing accommodations to modify his property
in any way or provide a higher degree of care for a blind person