§9–2401.

    (a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

    (b)    “American Sign Language” means a visual–spatial method of communication that is a distinct language involving the hands, arms, facial markers, and body movements to communicate with others, including through the conveyance of thoughts, words, emotions, and grammatical information.

    (c)    “Behavioral health setting” means a setting that provides:

        (1)    psychiatric or psychological assessment or screening;

        (2)    group or individual psychotherapy, counseling, or treatment; or

        (3)    rehabilitation services for substance use disorders, addictive disorders, mental disorders, or a combination of these disorders.

    (d)    “Board” means the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters within the Office.

    (e)    “Council” means the Maryland Advisory Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals.

    (f)    (1)    “Deaf and hard of hearing individuals” means those residents of Maryland who have a partial or complete loss of hearing.

        (2)    “Deaf and hard of hearing individuals” includes individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and late–deafened.

    (g)    “Deafblind” means those residents of Maryland who have concomitant vision and hearing loss.

    (h)    “Director” means the Director of the Office.

    (i)    “Fund” means the Sign Language Interpreters Fund.

    (j)    “Heritage signer” means an individual who used American Sign Language as a primary language in childhood.

    (k)    “Legal setting” includes:

        (1)    court proceedings;

        (2)    attorney–client conferences;

        (3)    investigations by law enforcement;

        (4)    depositions;

        (5)    witness interviews;

        (6)    real estate settlements; and

        (7)    administrative and legislative hearings.

    (l)    “License” means a license issued under Part III of this subtitle to provide sign language interpretation services.

    (m)    “Medical setting” includes:

        (1)    an acute care hospital;

        (2)    an urgent care center;

        (3)    an outpatient clinic;

        (4)    short–term care facilities;

        (5)    long–term care facilities;

        (6)    a physician’s office; and

        (7)    home health care.

    (n)    “Nationally or regionally recognized certification” means:

        (1)    a certification issued and recognized by:

            (i)    the National Association of the Deaf (NAD);

            (ii)    the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID); or

            (iii)    the Board of Evaluation for Interpreters (BEI); or

        (2)    any other certification issued by a national or regional organization that is recognized by the Board.

    (o)    “Office” means the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

    (p)    (1)    “Provide sign language interpretation services” means to convey the meaning of a message that is expressed in:

            (i)    an oral or signed language by rendering the message in American Sign Language; or

            (ii)    American Sign Language by rendering the message in an oral or signed language.

        (2)    “Provide sign language interpretation services” includes providing sign language interpretation services in a video remote interpreting setting.

    (q)    “Restorative justice program” means a program designed to repair harm caused to all individuals involved in a crime through mediation, dialogue, or group conferencing between a licensee and any aggrieved party or complainant.

    (r)    “School setting” means a setting in which the following are provided:

        (1)    educational programs or services offered by a public or nonpublic school; or

        (2)    career training programs for secondary education students that are regulated by the State Department of Education.

    (s)    “Sign language interpreter” means an individual who is licensed by the Board to provide sign language interpretation services.

    (t)    “Video Relay Service” means the federally reimbursed and regulated program established to enable phone calls between users of American Sign Language and individuals who do not use American Sign Language by videoconferencing technology and the use of the services of a remotely located sign language interpreter.

    (u)    (1)    “Video remote interpreting setting” means providing sign language interpretation services by videoconferencing in which the participants are in one location and the interpreter is in a separate location.

        (2)    “Video remote interpreting setting” does not include Video Relay Service.