General Provisions (GGP) — Title 1. Rules of Interpretation

the Workers’ Compensation Commission;

the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office; or

the Maryland Insurance Administration under § 27–1001 of the Insurance Article.

solely due to the sexual orientation or gender identity of the individual being discharged;

based on a statement or consensual act of the individual being discharged related to the individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, if the statement or consensual act was prohibited by the military or naval service at the time of discharge; or

if the Department of Veterans and Military Families determines an individual is eligible for State benefits based on the criteria established in 38 C.F.R. § 3.12.

January 1, for New Year’s Day;

February 12, for Lincoln’s birthday;

the third Monday in February, for Washington’s birthday;

March 25, for Maryland Day;

Good Friday;

June 19, for Juneteenth National Independence Day;

July 4, for Independence Day;

the first Monday in September, for Labor Day;

September 12, for Defenders’ Day;

November 11, for Veterans’ Day;

the fourth Thursday in November, for Thanksgiving Day;

the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, for American Indian Heritage Day;

December 25, for Christmas Day;

each statewide general election day in the State; and

each other day that the President of the United States or the Governor designates for general cessation of business.

the date specified in subsection (a) of this section; or

if that date falls on a Sunday, on the next Monday after that date.

has at least four pages;

habitually contains news items, reports of current events, editorial comments, advertising matter, and other miscellaneous information that is of public interest and is found generally in an ordinary newspaper;

has been published and distributed, by sale, from an established place of business at least once a week for 6 months or more before publication of the advertisement or notice;

has general circulation throughout the community where the publication is published; and

qualifies for Periodicals rates for mailing through the United States Postal Service.

is designated by the County Council as a newspaper of record; or

any required advertisement or notice shall be published and distributed through print and digital format;

the time period required for publication starts once the first advertisement or notice appears in print or digital format; and

if there is no print and digital publication that meets all of the qualifications under subsection (a) of this section, the advertisement or notice may be placed in any digital publication that can be accessed in Dorchester County and that regularly contains local news and information for Dorchester County.

a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or

the District of Columbia.

the Public Health Service; or

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or its predecessor, the Coast and Geodetic Survey.

criminal or civil action, suit, proceeding, or prosecution for the enforcement of a penalty, forfeiture, or liability; and

judgment, decree, or order that imposes, inflicts, or declares the penalty, forfeiture, or liability.

may not be considered as a title of the section or subsection; and

may not be considered as a title if the section, subsection, caption, or catchline is amended or reenacted.

it is a Sunday or legal holiday, in which case the period runs until the end of the next day that is not a Sunday or legal holiday; or

the act to be done is the filing of a paper in court and the office of the clerk of the court is not open on the last day of the period of time, or is closed for a part of a day, in which case the period runs until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the office is not open the entire day during ordinary business hours.

When the period of time exceeds 7 days, intermediate Sundays and legal holidays shall be counted in computing the period of time.

When the period of time is 7 days or less, intermediate Sundays and legal holidays may not be counted in computing the period of time.

The age of majority is 18 years.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section or as otherwise specifically provided by statute, an individual at least 18 years old is an adult for all purposes and has the same legal capacity, rights, powers, privileges, duties, liabilities, and responsibilities that an individual at least 21 years old had before July 1, 1973.

the individual dies;

the individual marries;

the individual is emancipated;

the individual graduates from or is no longer enrolled in secondary school; or

the individual attains the age of 19 years.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

“Delivery by electronic means” means the delivery of a notice or communication by a unit to an e–mail address at which an individual has consented to receive notices or communications from the unit.

“Disabled person” has the meaning stated in § 13–101 of the Estates and Trusts Article.

“Guardian of the person” means a guardian of the person of a disabled person appointed under Title 13, Subtitle 7, Part II of the Estates and Trusts Article.

“Unit” means an executive agency, a department, a board, a commission, or any other instrumentality of the State.

This section applies only to a notice or communication that is required to be delivered by first–class mail.

This section does not apply to any notice or communication:

the federal 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act; and

Title 21, Subtitle 1 of the Commercial Law Article in obtaining the individual’s consent to have notices or communications sent to that individual by electronic means.

A unit may deliver a notice or communication to an individual by electronic means under this section only if the individual has affirmatively consented to delivery by electronic means instead of by first–class mail and has not withdrawn the consent.

If a provision requiring a unit to deliver notice or communication to an individual expressly requires the recipient to verify or acknowledge receipt of the notice or communication, the unit may deliver the notice or communication by electronic means only if the method used provides a means for the individual to electronically verify or acknowledge receipt of the notice or communication.

Before an individual consents to receive notices or communications from a unit by electronic means instead of by first–class mail, the unit shall provide to the individual a clear and conspicuous statement informing the individual of:

When an individual gives a unit consent to deliver notices and communications by electronic means instead of by first–class mail, the individual shall confirm the consent electronically, in a manner that reasonably demonstrates that the individual can access the information in the electronic form that the unit uses to give notices or communications.

If the hardware or software requirements needed to access or retain a notice or communication delivered by electronic means change in a way that creates a material risk that an individual will not be able to access or retain a subsequent notice or communication to which the consent applies, the unit shall provide to the individual:

A withdrawal of consent by an individual under this section:

Failure to comply with subsection (f)(3) of this section may be treated, at the election of the individual, as a withdrawal of consent for purposes of this section.

establish a process for a guardian of the person of a disabled person to:

provide notice of the process on the unit’s website.

require a unit to deliver notices or communications by electronic means instead of by first–class mail; or

affect policies, procedures, systems, or protocols for the delivery of notices or communications by electronic means implemented by a unit under any other provision of law.