(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) 'Closed captioning' means a transcript or dialog of the audio portion of a television program that is displayed on a television receiver screen when the user activates the feature. (3) 'Closed–captioning television receiver' means a receiver of television programming that has the ability to display closed captioning, including a television, digital set top box, and any other technology capable of displaying closed captioning. (4) 'Public area' means a part of a place of public accommodation that is open to the general public. (5) 'Regular hours' means the hours of any day in which a place of public accommodation is open to members of the general public. (b) On request, a place of public accommodation may not fail to keep closed captioning activated on any closed–captioning television receiver that is in use during regular hours in any public area. (c) This section does not require a place of public accommodation to make closed captioning available in a public area of the place of public accommodation if: (1) no television receiver of any kind is available in the public area; or (2) the only public ommodation to make closed captioning available in a public area of the place of public accommodation if: (1) no television receiver of any kind is available in the public area; or (2) the only public television receiver available in the public area is not a closed–captioning television receiver.
Maryland Legal Code