Maryland Public Safety Section 14-3A-01

      (a)      In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

      (b)      "Catastrophic health emergency" means a situation in which extensive loss of life or serious disability is threatened imminently because of exposure to a deadly agent.

      (c)      "Deadly agent" means:

            (1)      anthrax, ebola, plague, smallpox, tularemia, or other bacterial, fungal, rickettsial, or viral agent, biological toxin, or other biological agent capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability;

            (2)      mustard gas, nerve gas, or other chemical agent capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability; or

            (3)      radiation at levels capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability.

      (d)      "Exposure to a deadly agent" means a threat to human health caused by the release, distribution, or transmission of a deadly agent in:

            (1)      this State; or

            (2)      another jurisdiction because of movement into the State of the deadly agent or of individuals exposed to the deadly agent.

      (e)      "Health care provider" means:

            (1)      a health care facility as defined in § 19-114(e)(1) of the Health - General Article;

            (2)      a health care practitioner as defined in § 19-114(f) of the Health - General Article; and

            (3)      an individual licensed or certified as an emergency medical services provider under § 13-516 of the Education Article.

      (f)      "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene.