Section 20-1103 - Injury, intimidation, or interference with protected housing activities. - Maryland Statutes

§ 20-1103. Injury, intimidation, or interference with protected housing activities.
 

(a)  Definitions.- In this section, "disability", "dwelling", "familial status", "marital status", and "rent" have the meanings stated in § 20-701 of this title. 

(b)  Prohibited acts.- Whether or not acting under color of law, a person may not, by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate, interfere with, or attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with: 

(1) any person because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, or national origin and because the person is or has been: 

(i) selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, or contracting or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing, or occupation of any dwelling; or 

(ii) applying for or participating in any service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings; 

(2) any person because the person is or has been, or in order to intimidate the person or any other person or any class of persons from: 

(i) participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in item (1) of this subsection; or 

(ii) affording another person or class of persons the opportunity or protection to participate in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in item (1) of this subsection; or 

(3) any person because the person is or has been, or in order to discourage the person or any other person from: 

(i) lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in item (1) of this subsection; or 

(ii) participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to participate in any of the activities, services, organizations, or facilities described in item (1) of this subsection. 

(c)  Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to: 

(1) imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both; 

(2) if the violation results in bodily injury, imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both; or 

(3) if the violation results in death, imprisonment not exceeding life. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 49B, § 37; 2009, ch. 120, § 2.]