Sec. 01.02.11.02. Definitions

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

(1) "Application assistant" means an employee or volunteer:

(a) Of a federal, State, or local agency, or of a nongovernmental program, that provides counseling, referral, shelter, or other services to victims of domestic violence or human trafficking; and

(b) Who has been designated by the respective agency or program, and trained and registered by the Secretary, to assist individuals in completion of the Program application.

(2) "Authorization card" means the card issued by the Secretary to a participant.

(3) "Bona fide religious organization" has the meaning stated in COMAR 01.02.04.01.

(4) "Domestic violence program" means a local domestic violence service program, in the State, designed to meet the needs of a victim of domestic violence and the victim's family.

(5) "Notice of ACP Participation" means the form prescribed by the Secretary in accordance with Family Law Article, §4-529(c)(1), or State Government Article, §7-311(c)(1), Annotated Code of Maryland, to identify an individual as a participant, request the use of the participant’s substitute address, and prohibit disclosure of a participant’s identity information.

(6) "Participant" means an individual designated by the Secretary to participate in the Program.

(7) "Program" means both the:

(a) Maryland Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program established under Family Law Article, §§4-519-4-531, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(b) Human Trafficking Address Confidentiality Program established under State Government Article, §§7-301-7-313, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(8) "Real Property ACP Notice" means the form prescribed by the Secretary in accordance with Real Property Article, §3-115, Annotated Code of Maryland, to request the shielding of real property records.

(9) "Religious, medical, or other professional" means an individual:

(a) Licensed as a physician, nurse, social worker, professional counselor or therapist, or psychologist under the Health Occupations Article, Annotated Code of Maryland; or

(b) Who is a minister, pastoral counselor, or associate of an organization providing domestic violence services under the auspices of a bona fide religious organization.

(10) "Secretary" means the Secretary of State of Maryland, or the Secretary's designee.

(11) "Victim of domestic violence" means an individual who has received deliberate, severe, and demonstrable physical injury, or is in fear of imminent, deliberate, severe, and demonstrable physical injury from a current or former intimate partner or individual with whom the person has lived.

(12) "Victim of human trafficking" means an individual who has been recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for labor, services, or a sexual act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.