reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3805 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 38 - Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks|Section 14-3805 - Oral Disclosures

    (a)    At the time a consumer applies through a facilitator for a refund anticipation loan, the facilitator orally shall inform the consumer:        (1)    That the product is a loan that lasts 1 to 2 weeks;        (2)    That if the consumer’s tax refund is less than expected, the consumer is liable for the full amount of the refund anticipation loan and must repay any difference;        (3)    The amount of the refund anticipation loan fee; and        (4)    The annual percentage rate payable on the refund anticipation loan.    (b)    At the time a consumer applies through a facilitator for a refund anticipation check, the facilitator orally shall inform the consumer:        (1)    Of the amount of the refund anticipation check; and        (2)    That the consumer may receive a tax refund in the same amount of time without paying a fee if the consumer’s tax return is filed electronically and the consumer direct deposits the tax refund into the consumer’s own bank account.    (c)    The disclosures required by this section shall be provided in the language primarily used for oral communication between the facilitator and the consumer.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3806 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 38 - Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks|Section 14-3806 - Prohibited Acts by Facilitator

    (a)    A facilitator may not:        (1)    Require a consumer to enter into a loan agreement in order to complete a tax return;        (2)    Charge any fee to a consumer or require any other consideration for making or facilitating a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check other than the fee imposed by the creditor or other person that provides the refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check;        (3)    Engage in a transaction, practice, or course of business that operates a fraud on a consumer in connection with a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check, including making oral statements that contradict any of the information required to be disclosed under this subtitle;        (4)    Arrange, directly or indirectly, for any third party to charge any interest or fee related to a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check, other than the refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check fee imposed by the creditor, including charges for insurance, attorney’s fees, collection costs, or check cashing;        (5)    Misrepresent a material fact or condition of a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check; or        (6)    Fail to process an application for a refund anticipation loan promptly after the consumer applies for the refund anticipation loan.    (b)    Subsection (a)(2) of this section does not prohibit a charge or fee, including a fee for tax return preparation, that is imposed by a facilitator on all of its customers if the same charge or fee, in the same amount, is imposed on customers who do not receive refund anticipation loans, refund anticipation checks, or other tax–related financial products.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3807 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 38 - Refund Anticipation Loans and Checks|Section 14-3807 - Violations; Penalties; Liabilities

    (a)    A violation of this subtitle is:        (1)    An unfair or deceptive trade practice within the meaning of Title 13 of this article; and        (2)    Subject to the enforcement and penalty provisions contained in Title 13 of this article.    (b)    In addition to the remedies provided under Title 13 of this article, a facilitator who willfully fails to comply with any provision of this subtitle is liable to the consumer for:        (1)    Actual and consequential damages;        (2)    Statutory damages in the amount of $1,000; and        (3)    Reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3901 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 39 - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act|Section 14-3901 - Definitions

    (a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.    (b)    “Arbitration activity” means the initiation, conduct, sponsorship, or administration of, or the appointment of an arbitrator in, a consumer arbitration.    (c)    “Arbitration organization” means a nongovernmental association, agency, board, commission, corporation, or other entity that performs arbitration activities.    (d)    “Consumer” means an individual who is:        (1)    A resident of the State; and        (2)    An actual or prospective purchaser or lessee of any goods, services, real property, or credit primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.    (e)    (1)    “Consumer arbitration” means a binding arbitration conducted in accordance with a consumer arbitration agreement.        (2)    “Consumer arbitration” does not include:            (i)    A binding arbitration conducted in accordance with the provisions of a policy of property insurance, casualty insurance, or surety insurance, as those terms are defined in § 1–101 of the Insurance Article;            (ii)    An arbitration governed by rules adopted by a securities self–regulatory organization and approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under federal law; or            (iii)    An arbitration between a consumer and a related institution that is licensed by the Maryland Department of Health, if the consumer arbitration agreement between the consumer and the related institution is not mandated as a condition of admission of the consumer to the related institution.    (f)    (1)    “Consumer arbitration agreement” means a standardized contract that:            (i)    Is between a consumer and another person who is not a consumer;            (ii)    Provides for the sale or lease of any goods, services, real property, or credit primarily for personal, family, or household purposes; and            (iii)    Requires that disputes arising under the contract be submitted to binding arbitration.        (2)    “Consumer arbitration agreement” does not include a public or private sector collective bargaining agreement.    (g)    “Related institution” has the meaning stated in § 19–301 of the Health – General Article.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3902 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 39 - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act|Section 14-3902 - Applicability of Subtitle

    This subtitle applies to an arbitration organization that performs an arbitration activity related to 50 or more consumer arbitrations during a 5–year period.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3903 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 39 - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act|Section 14-3903 - Information Regarding Consumer Arbitration

    (a)    An arbitration organization subject to this subtitle shall collect, publish, and make available to the public the following information regarding each consumer arbitration for which it performed an arbitration activity during the preceding 5–year period:        (1)    If the nonconsumer party is a corporation or other business entity, the name of that party;        (2)    Whether the dispute involved goods, services, real property, or credit;        (3)    The type of claim or cause of action alleged;        (4)    Whether the consumer or nonconsumer party was the prevailing party;        (5)    The number of times during the reporting period that the nonconsumer party has been a party in a consumer arbitration for which the arbitration organization performed an arbitration activity;        (6)    Whether the consumer party was represented by an attorney and, if so, the name of the attorney;        (7)    The date the arbitration organization received the demand for the consumer arbitration, the date the arbitrator was appointed, and the date of disposition by the arbitrator or arbitration organization;        (8)    If known, the type of disposition of the dispute, including withdrawal, abandonment, settlement, award after hearing, award without hearing, default, or dismissal without hearing;        (9)    The amount of the claim, the amount of the award, and any other relief granted;        (10)    The name of the arbitrator, the arbitrator’s total fee for conducting the consumer arbitration, and the percentage of the arbitrator’s fee allocated to each party; and        (11)    The address of the premises where the consumer arbitration was conducted.    (b)    (1)    The information required under subsection (a) of this section:            (i)    Shall be reported beginning on the first day of the month immediately following the month an arbitration organization becomes subject to this subtitle; and            (ii)    Shall be updated at least quarterly thereafter.        (2)    An arbitration organization that becomes subject to this subtitle before July 1, 2016, shall report the information required under subsection (a) of this section to the extent it is available.    (c)    The information required under subsection (a) of this section shall be made available to the public:        (1)    In a computer–searchable format that:            (i)    Is accessible at the Internet Web site of the arbitration organization; and            (ii)    May be downloaded without a fee; and        (2)    In writing:            (i)    On request; and            (ii)    At a fee that does not exceed the actual cost to the arbitration organization of copying the information.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3904 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 39 - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act|Section 14-3904 - Information to Be Used in Determination of Unenforceability of Consumer Arbitration Agreement

    The information provided by an arbitration organization under § 14–3903 of this subtitle may be considered in determining whether a consumer arbitration agreement is unconscionable or otherwise unenforceable under law.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-3905 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 39 - Transparency in Consumer Arbitrations Act|Section 14-3905 - General Provisions

    (a)    An arbitration organization is not liable for collecting, publishing, or distributing the information required under § 14–3903 of this subtitle.    (b)    Failure to comply with § 14–3903 of this subtitle:        (1)    May not be the sole reason to refuse to enforce an award made in a consumer arbitration; and        (2)    May be considered as a factor in determining whether a consumer arbitration agreement is unconscionable or otherwise unenforceable under law.    (c)    (1)    A consumer or the Attorney General may seek an injunction to prohibit an arbitration organization that has engaged in or is engaging in a violation of § 14–3903 of this subtitle from continuing or engaging in the violation.        (2)    The arbitration organization is liable to the person bringing the action for an injunction for the person’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs if:            (i)    The court issues the injunction; or            (ii)    The arbitration organization voluntarily complies with § 14–3903 of this subtitle after the action is filed.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4001 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 40 - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales|Section 14-4001 - Definitions

    (a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.    (b)    (1)    “Entertainment event” means:            (i)    A performance;            (ii)    A recreation;            (iii)    An amusement;            (iv)    A diversion;            (v)    A spectacle;            (vi)    A show; or            (vii)    Any similar event.        (2)    “Entertainment event” includes:            (i)    A theatrical or musical performance;            (ii)    A concert;            (iii)    A film;            (iv)    A game;            (v)    A ride; and            (vi)    A sporting event.    (c)    (1)    “Lower–level domain name” means the portion of text in a URL that is to the left of top–level domains such as .com, .net, or .org.        (2)    “Lower–level domain name” includes:            (i)    A second–level domain name;            (ii)    A third–level domain name; and            (iii)    Any other subdomain name.    (d)    “Ticket” means a ticket for admission to an entertainment event.    (e)    “Ticket website” means a website:        (1)    Advertising the sale or resale of tickets;        (2)    Offering the sale or resale of tickets; or        (3)    Facilitating a secondary ticket exchange or electronic marketplace that enables consumers to sell, purchase, and resell tickets to an entertainment event in the State.    (f)    “URL” means the Uniform Resource Locator for a website.    (g)    “Venue” means a theater, a stadium, a field, a hall, a convention center, a fairground, or any other facility where an entertainment event takes place.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4002 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 40 - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales|Section 14-4002 - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales Prohibited

    A person may not intentionally sell or use software to circumvent a security measure, an access control system, or any other control or measure on a ticket seller’s Web site that is used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4003 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 40 - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales|Section 14-4003 - Use of Lower-Level Domain Name in Url Prohibited

    (a)    This section does not apply to a person who is acting on behalf of a venue.    (b)    A person who owns, operates, or controls a ticket website may not use in the URL of the ticket website a lower–level domain name that contains:        (1)    The name of the venue for which the ticket grants admission;        (2)    The name of the entertainment event, including the name of an individual or a group scheduled to perform or appear at the event; or        (3)    A name substantially similar to the name in item (1) or (2) of this subsection.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4004 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 40 - Interference With Internet Ticket Sales|Section 14-4004 - Violations; Penalties

    A violation of this subtitle is:        (1)    An unfair or deceptive trade practice within the meaning of Title 13 of this article; and        (2)    Subject to the enforcement and penalty provisions contained in Title 13 of this article.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4101 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 41 - Financial Consumer Protection|Section 14-4101 - Definitions

    (a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.    (b)    “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Financial Regulation in the Maryland Department of Labor.    (c)    “Office” means the Office of the Attorney General.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4102 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 41 - Financial Consumer Protection|Section 14-4102 - Purpose

    The purpose of this subtitle is to support vigorous enforcement by and funding of the Office and the Commissioner to protect the State’s residents when conducting financial transactions and receiving financial services.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4103 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 41 - Financial Consumer Protection|Section 14-4103 - Civil Actions

    Whenever the Office and the Commissioner consider it appropriate, the Office and the Commissioner shall use their authority under § 1042 of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 to bring civil actions or other appropriate proceedings authorized under the Act.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4104 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 41 - Financial Consumer Protection|Section 14-4104 - Annual Appropriations

    (a)    (1)    For fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include an appropriation of at least $700,000 in general funds in the State budget for the Office for the purposes of enforcement of:            (i)    Consumer protection laws under this title;            (ii)    Consumer protection laws under Title 13 of this article; and            (iii)    Financial consumer protection laws.        (2)    The Office shall use the funds under paragraph (1) of this subsection for:            (i)    Staffing costs associated with hiring new employees; and            (ii)    Investigations of alleged violations of consumer protection laws in the State.    (b)    (1)    For fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include an appropriation of at least $300,000 in general funds in the State budget for the Commissioner for the purposes of enforcement of financial consumer protection laws.        (2)    The Commissioner shall use the funds under paragraph (1) of this subsection for:            (i)    Staffing costs associated with hiring new employees; and            (ii)    Investigations of alleged violations of consumer protection laws in the State.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4201 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 42 - Mobile Home Retail Sales|Section 14-4201 - Definitions

    (a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.    (b)    “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Financial Regulation in the Maryland Department of Labor.    (c)    “Consumer borrower” means an individual receiving a loan or other extension of credit for personal, household, or family purposes.    (d)    “Mobile home” has the meaning stated in § 11–501 of the Financial Institutions Article.    (e)    “Mobile home retailer” means a person that:        (1)    Sells mobile homes at retail;        (2)    Provides information regarding financing products to a borrower for the purchase of a mobile home; and        (3)    Is not:            (i)    A mortgage lender, as defined in § 11–501 of the Financial Institutions Article; or            (ii)    A mortgage originator, as defined in § 11–601 of the Financial Institutions Article.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4202 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 42 - Mobile Home Retail Sales|Section 14-4202 - Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing With Prospective Borrower

    (a)    In this section, “steer” means, in connection with a consumer credit transaction secured by a mobile home, to direct a prospective consumer borrower to complete a transaction in any way based on the fact that a mobile home retailer will receive compensation, directly or indirectly, from a lender or credit grantor that is in excess of any compensation or gain received in a comparable cash transaction.    (b)    A mobile home retailer:        (1)    Has a duty of good faith and fair dealing in providing financial information to a prospective consumer borrower, including providing financial information in a manner that is not misleading or deceptive and that discloses all material facts;        (2)    May not steer a prospective consumer borrower to financing products that offer less favorable terms; and        (3)    Shall provide a written statement to a prospective consumer borrower in accordance with § 14–4203 of this subtitle.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4203 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 42 - Mobile Home Retail Sales|Section 14-4203 - Statement Provided by Mobile Home Retailer

    (a)    (1)    The statement required under § 14–4202(b)(3) of this subtitle shall be on a form prescribed by the Commissioner by regulation.        (2)    If the form prescribed by the Commissioner is included in other documents provided by the mobile home retailer to a prospective consumer borrower, the form shall be conspicuous, such as through the use of a different font or separated with a box around it.    (b)    The statement required under § 14–4202(b)(3) of this subtitle shall include:        (1)    A disclosure that describes any corporate affiliation between the mobile home retailer and a financing source about which the mobile home retailer provides information to the prospective consumer borrower;        (2)    A disclosure that the prospective consumer borrower may obtain financing from any lender and is not required to obtain financing from a lender suggested by the mobile home retailer; and        (3)    Information regarding the rights of a prospective consumer borrower under this subtitle and the procedure for filing a complaint with the Commissioner.    (c)    The mobile home retailer shall provide the statement required under § 14–4202(b)(3) of this subtitle:        (1)    To a prospective consumer borrower at the time the mobile home retailer provides information to the prospective consumer borrower regarding financing or potentially available lenders; and        (2)    By posting the statement in a prominent location at all of the mobile home retailer’s places of business and on the mobile home retailer’s website, if any.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4204 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 42 - Mobile Home Retail Sales|Section 14-4204 - Transaction Valid Despite Noncompliance

    Failure of a mobile home retailer to comply with this subtitle does not affect the validity of an otherwise valid financing transaction.
MD. Commercial Law Code Ann. §  14-4205 (2021)
2021 Maryland Statutes|Commercial Law|Title 14 - Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions|Subtitle 42 - Mobile Home Retail Sales|Section 14-4205 - Enforcement by Commissioner

    The Commissioner may enforce this subtitle by exercising any of the powers authorized under §§ 2–113 through 2–116 of the Financial Institutions Article.