You may have heard of federal (national) laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Fair Housing Act (FHA) that protect the rights of people with disabilities. Did you know that Maryland also has laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities in the state? This webpage provides information about these Maryland state laws. Please note that MDOD is not a legal organization and we do not provide legal advice. If you have questions or concerns about your civil rights as a person with disabilities, contact the Maryland Commission for Civil Rights or Disability Rights Maryland.
EDUCATION
The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are federal laws that require that students with disabilities have equal access to public education from kindergarten through 12th grade. These laws require schools to create Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans to provide accommodations to students with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also requires that students receive reasonable accommodations in schools, including colleges or universities. Maryland has state laws that protect the rights of students with disabilities.
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Children with Disabilities - This is a link to Maryland state laws that require that children with all disabilities receive the accommodations they need to get a free public education, including requirements related to IEPs.
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Education of Blind Children - This is a link to Maryland state laws that specifically discuss education access for blind children. These laws are in addition to the other Maryland laws protecting students with disabilities.
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Education of Deaf Children - This is a link to Maryland state laws that specifically discuss education access for deaf children. These laws are in addition to the other Maryland laws protecting students with disabilities.
EMPLOYMENT
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment. Maryland has state laws that protect people with disabilities in employment.
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Summary of Laws Against Employment Discrimination - This page on the People's Law Library describes the Federal and Maryland laws against employment discrimination.
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Discrimination in Employment - This is a link to the Maryland state laws against discrimination in employment practices (such as hiring, firing, or paying employees), including discrimination against people with disabilities. These laws include requirements to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
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Employment by the government - Maryland has some laws related to people with disabilities who want to work for the State or local government. These laws are under the "Government" heading on this webpage.
FAMILY LAW
GOVERNMENT
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal laws that require government agencies to make government services, information, and jobs accessible to people with disabilities. Maryland also has state laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities when accessing government services or applying to work for the government.
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Discrimination by Government - This is a link to a Maryland law that prohibits discrimination by State, county, and local governments.
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Nonvisual Access for State Information Technology - This is a link to a Maryland law that requires the State to make sure the information technology (IT) it buys is accessible to people who are blind or who have print disabilities.
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Hiring Individuals with Disabilities - This is a link to a Maryland law that discusses rights of individuals with disabilities applying to work in State government.
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Employment of Blind, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing Persons by Government - Maryland has a specific law that protects the right of people who are blind, deaf, or hard of hearing to be employed by the State or local governments.
HEALTH CARE
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are federal laws that prohibit disability discrimination in different health care settings (like some doctor's offices or hospitals). Maryland also has
HOUSING
The Fair Housing Act is a federal law that protects the rights of individuals, including people with disabilities, when renting or purchasing housing. Maryland also has laws that protect people with disabilities in housing.
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Summary of Laws Against Housing Discrimination - This page on the People's Law Library describes the Federal and Maryland laws against employment discrimination.
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Discrimination in Housing - This is a link to the Maryland state laws against discrimination in housing practices (such as renting or selling homes), including discrimination against people with disabilities.
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Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities in Housing - This a link to the specific law that discusses discrimination against people with disabilities who are renting or buying homes. These laws also discuss reasonable accommodations and modifications to make housing accessible to people with disabilities, and the rights of people who sue service animals.
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND BUSINESSES
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an example of a federal law that protects the ability of people with disabilities to access the same public spaces as people without disabilities. Maryland has laws that require people with disabilities to have equal access to places of public accommodations. In Maryland, "public accommodations" include places like stores, hotels, restaurants, buses and transportation, government offices, parks, and other places open to the public.
Summary of Public Accommodations Discrimination - This page on the People's Law Library describes more about Maryland laws against discrimination, including which places are considered "public accommodations."
Maryland has several laws that protect the rights of people who use or train service animals.
SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
