Title 2. General Provisions — Subtitle 5. Facilities for Handicapped

In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

“Facility for handicapped individuals” includes any door, elevator, handrail, ramp, specially treated surface, or similar design, convenience, or device that facilitates the health, safety, or comfort of a handicapped individual.

“Handicapped individual” means an individual with a measurable limitation of mobility caused by disease, trauma, or congenital defect.

create a substantial risk of death or injury to handicapped individuals and others in both normal and emergency conditions; and

impair the full use and enjoyment of the public buildings by handicapped individuals for education, employment, recreation, training, or treatment.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, if curbs or sidewalks at the intersection of 2 or more streets or roads are constructed or reconstructed by the State Highway Administration, by a political subdivision, or by a private contractor for dedication to a political subdivision, the curbs or sidewalks shall have ramps or curb cuts:

Ramps or curb cuts are not required under this section if, for a particular intersection outside Baltimore City, the State Highway Administration determines or, for a particular intersection in Baltimore City, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works determines that:

Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the State Highway Administration from certifying any project described in this section for the purpose of determining statewide eligibility for federal assistance.

As provided in the State budget, the Secretary of General Services shall provide, in central locations in units of the State and local government and other public facilities jointly recommended by the Secretary of Health and the State Superintendent of Schools, teletypewriters for the use of deaf individuals. These locations shall provide access to emergency police, fire, and rescue services.

The teletypewriters shall be connected electronically so as to provide a means of communication between deaf individuals and the offices of major public and private facilities equipped with similar machines within a toll–free telephone district.

Whenever a unit of the State or a local government gives out conventional public service telephone numbers to the public on written material, it shall also give out corresponding teletypewriter numbers on the written material. The teletypewriter numbers may be included at the time of stock replenishment.

The Board of Public Works, through the Department of General Services, shall publish minimum standards for facilities for handicapped individuals in public buildings. The standards shall conform to American Standards Association specification A 117.1-1961, as modified by the Department of General Services.

The standards may not require facilities for handicapped individuals in any part of a public building that is not open to or used by the general working force or the general public.

The appropriate contracting authority shall determine whether the plans and specifications for any public building built by the State, a political subdivision of the State, or a public authority meet the standards adopted under this section.

The standards shall be filed with the Secretary of State.

The Department of General Services is responsible for the enforcement of this subtitle if:

The governing body of a political subdivision is responsible for the enforcement of this subtitle if: