<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle article="ghg" title_number="20" subtitle_number="19" title_name="Miscellaneous Health Provisions" subtitle_name="Subcutaneous Implanting of Identification Device">
  <section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="20-1901" title_number="20" title_name="Miscellaneous Health Provisions" subtitle_number="19" subtitle_name="Subcutaneous Implanting of Identification Device">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>“Identification device” means an item, an application, or a product that is passively or actively capable of transmitting personal information, including devices using radio frequency technology.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>“Identification device” does not include an item, an application, or a product that is used in the diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or prevention of a health condition.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“Personal information” includes the following data elements to the extent that the data elements are used alone or in conjunction with other information used to identify an individual:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>First or last name;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Address;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Telephone number;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>E–mail, Internet Protocol, or website address;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>Date of birth;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>Driver’s license number or identification card number;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>Bank, credit card, or other financial account number;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>Any unique personal identifier contained or encoded on a health insurance, health benefit, or benefit card or record issued in conjunction with a government–supported aid program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="9">
        <text>Religion;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="10">
        <text>Ethnicity or nationality;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="11">
        <text>Photograph;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="12">
        <text>Fingerprint or other biometric identifier;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="13">
        <text>Social Security number; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="14">
        <text>Any other unique personal identifier.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>“Require, coerce, or compel” includes the use of physical violence, threat, intimidation, retaliation, the conditioning of any private or public benefit, including employment, promotion, or other employment benefit, and any other means to cause a reasonable individual of ordinary susceptibilities to acquiesce when the individual otherwise would not.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>“Subcutaneous” means existing, performed, or introduced under or on the skin.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="20-1902" title_number="20" title_name="Miscellaneous Health Provisions" subtitle_number="19" subtitle_name="Subcutaneous Implanting of Identification Device">
    <level label="a">
      <text>A person or an agent, a representative, or a designee of the State or a local government may not require, coerce, or compel an individual to undergo the subcutaneous implanting of an identification device.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>An individual who is implanted with a subcutaneous identification device in violation of subsection (a) of this section may file a civil action in the circuit court in the county where the violation occurred.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>If the court finds that the person or agent, representative, or designee of the State or a local government violated subsection (a) of this section, the court may:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>Assess against the defendant:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>A civil penalty not exceeding $10,000; and</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>An additional civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 for each day after the day of implantation that the violation continues until corrected; and</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>Award the plaintiff:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>Compensatory damages;</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>Injunctive relief;</text>
          </level>
          <level label="3">
            <text>Reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation expenses, including expert witness fees and expenses; or</text>
          </level>
          <level label="4">
            <text>Any other appropriate relief.</text>
          </level>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>In addition to the damages or relief awarded under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the court may award the plaintiff punitive damages on a finding of proof of the defendant’s malice, oppression, fraud, or duress inflicted in requiring, coercing, or compelling the plaintiff to undergo the subcutaneous implanting of an identification device.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an action brought under subsection (b) of this section shall be filed within 3 years after the date on which the identification device was implanted.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>If a defendant induces the plaintiff to delay the filing of the action or the plaintiff delays the filing due to threats made by the defendant that caused the plaintiff duress, the defendant may not assert the limitation specified under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>The remedies provided by this section are in addition to any other statutory, legal, or equitable remedies that may be available and are not intended to be prerequisite to or exclusive of any other remedies.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>The provisions of this section shall be liberally construed in the protection of privacy and bodily integrity.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
</subtitle>