MARYLAND PUBLIC ETHICS LAW

1 General Provisions - Title 5. MARYLAND . PUBLIC ETHICS LAW. Effective: 10/1/2021. (For Information Purpose Only - Not an Official Copy). TABLE OF CONTENTS. Title 5. MARYLAND PUBLIC ETHICS Law. Subtitle 1. Definitions; General Provisions ..1. Section 5-101. Definitions ..1. Section 5-102. Legislative Findings; Policy; Liberal Section 5-103. Designation of Individuals as PUBLIC Officials ..9. Section 5-104. Administration of Section 5-105. Other Laws ..12. Subtitle 2. State ETHICS Commission ..12. Section 5-201. Established ..12. Section 5-202. Membership ..12. Section 5-203. Officers ..14. Section 5-204. Quorum; Meetings; Compensation; Staff ..14. Section 5-205. Duties ..15. Section 5-206. Section 5-207. Oaths and Subpoenas ..18. Section 5-208. Determination of PUBLIC Official in Executive Agency ..18. Section 5-209. Exemptions from Title ..19. Section 5-210. Lobbyist Registration Fund.

2 19. Subtitle 3. Advisory Section 5-301. Request for Advisory Opinion; Informal Advice ..20. Section 5-302. Issuance ..20. Section 5-303. Publication ..20. Section 5-304. Further Opinion by Joint ETHICS Committee ..21. i Subtitle 4. Procedures for Complaint of Violation of Title ..21. Section 5-401. Complaints - Filing; Requirements ..21. Section 5-402. Complaints - Referrals ..21. Section 5-403. Complaints - Retention by ETHICS Commission ..22. Section 5-404. Complaints - Hearing ..23. Section 5-405. Complaints - Disposition ..23. Section 5-406. Judicial Review ..26. Section 5-407..26. Section 5-408. Referral to Prosecuting Authority ..27. Section 5-409. Retention of Documents by Entities Subject to Title ..27. Subtitle 5. Conflicts of Interest ..27. Part I. General Provisions. Section 5-501. Restrictions on Participation ..27. Section 5-502. Employment or Financial Interests - General Restriction.

3 31. Section 5-503. Employment Restriction - Entities Contracting with State ..33. Section 5-504. Employment Restriction - Representation or Assistance ..33. Section 5-505. Gifts or Honoraria ..36. Section 5-506. Use of Prestige of Office ..39. Section 5-507. Disclosure or Use of Confidential Information ..40. Section 5-508. Unlawful Harassment or Discrimination Prohibited..40. Section 5-509. Retaliation Prohibition for Reporting or Participating in Investigations 42. Part II. Special Legislative Provisions. Section 5-511. Application of Part ..42. Section 5-512. Disqualification - Presumption of Conflict ..42. Section 5-513. Suspension of Disqualification ..43. Section 5-514. Outside Income Relating to State or Local Governmental Entities ..45. ii Section Social Media Links in Official Electronic Legislative Newsletter..48. Section 5-515. Joint ETHICS Committee - Written Opinions.

4 49. Section 5-516. Complaints ..51. Section 5-517..51. Section 5-518. Review of Complaints ..52. Section Investigation of Violations of Antiharassment Policies and Procedures of General Assembly or Retaliation Against Individuals Procedures Reporting Violations ..53. Section 5-519. Allegation Summary ..54. Section 5-520. Hearing Procedures ..55. Section 5-521. Findings ..57. Section 5-522. Referral to Prosecuting Authorities ..57. Part III. PUBLIC -Private Partnership Act Section 5-525. Institutions of Higher Education ..58. Subtitle 6. Financial Disclosure ..62. Section 5-601. Individuals Required to File Statement ..62. Section 5-602. Financial Disclosure Statement - Filing Requirements ..63. Section 5-603. Appointee Filling ..64. Section 5-604. Official Leaving Office ..65. Section 5-605. Candidates for Office ..65. Section 5-606. PUBLIC Record ..66. Section 5-607.

5 Content of Statements ..67. Section 5-608. Interests Attributable to Individual Filing Statement ..75. Section 5-609. Certain Board Members - Modified Requirements ..76. Section 5-610. Judicial Branch - State Officials and Candidates ..76. Section 5-611. Disclosure by Other Personnel and Appointees ..77. Subtitle 7. Lobbying ..79. iii Section 5-701. Compensation Defined ..79. Section 5-702. Lobbying - Generally ..79. Section 5-703. Authority to Lobby ..82. Section 5-704. Registration with ETHICS Commission ..82. Section Training ..85. Section 5-705. Reports ..85. Section 5-706. Meals or Beverages ..88. Section 5-707. Reports of Business Transactions ..88. Section 5-708. Reports of Business Transactions Political Contributions ..90. Section 5-709. Legislative Unit Meal and Receptions ..90. Section 5-710. Electronic Filing; PUBLIC Inspection; Oath or ..92. Section 5-711.

6 Gifts to Family Members ..92. Section 5-712. Additional Reports ..92. Section 5-713. Disclosure of Statistics; Notice to Official Named in Report ..93. Section 5-714. Prohibitions ..93. Section Reports to ETHICS Commission of Violations of Antiharassment Policies and Procedures by Regulated Lobbyist ..95. Section 5-715. Restriction on Certain Campaign Contributions ..95. Section 5-716. Statement by Person Providing Lobbyist Compensation And Making Contributions ..96. Subtitle 8. Local Government Provisions ..100. Part I. General Provisions. Section 5-801. Definitions ..100. Part II. PUBLIC ETHICS Laws for Counties and Municipal Corporations. Section 5-804. Elected Local Official Defined ..101. Section 5-805. Scope of Part..101. Section 5-806. Effect on Other Provisions of ..101. iv Section 5-807. PUBLIC ETHICS Law Required ..101. Section 5-808. Conflict of Interest Laws.

7 102. Section 5-809. Financial Disclosure Laws ..103. Section 5-810. Lobbying ..104. Section 5-811. Special Provisions for Prince George's County .. 104. Section 5-812. Enforcement of This Part .. 106. Part III. Local Boards of Education. Section 5-815. Scope of Part .. 106. Section 5-816. Conflicts of Interest .. 106. Section 5-817. Financial Disclosure .. 107. Section 5-818. Lobbying .. 109. Section 5-819. Approval of Regulations .. 109. Section 5-820. Enforcement of This Part .. 110. Part IV. PUBLIC ETHICS for Bi-County Commissions. Section 5-822. Commissioner Defined .. 110. Section 5-823. Adoption of Conflict of Interest Regulations .. 111. Section 5-824. Financial Disclosure by Commissioners .. 111. Section 5-825. Financial Disclosure by Commissioners - Applicants .. 112. Section 5-826. Transmittal and Retention of Financial Disclosure Statements .. 113. Section 5-827.

8 Examination and Copying of Financial Disclosure Statements .. 114. Section 5-828. Suspension of Compensation .. 114. Section 5-829. Financial Disclosure by Employees .. 114. Section 5-830. Lobbying Regulations for Bi-County Commissions .. 115. Part V. Regional District Special Provisions for Prince George's County. Section 5-833. Definitions .. 115. Section 5-834. Powers Enumerated in Land Use Article .. 120. v Section 5-835. Applications .. 120. Section 5-836. Disclosure of Ex Parte Communication .. 123. Section 5-837. Evidence of Payments or Ex Parte Communication .. 124. Section 5-838. Enforcement of Part .. 124. Section 5-839. Injunctive or Other Relief; Penalties; Preservation of Documents .. 125. Part VI. Regional District - Special Provisions for Montgomery County. Section 5-842. Definitions .. 126. Section 5-843. Disclosure Statements .. 129. Section 5-844.

9 Violations; Penalty; Enforcement .. 131. Section 5-845. Accuracy of Disclosure Statements .. 131. Part VII. Lobbying Disclosure Special Provisions for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Section 5-848. Definitions .. 131. Section 5-849. Restrictions on Lobbyist .. 132. Part VIII. Special Provisions for Howard County. Section 5-852. Definitions .. 133. Section 5-853. Contributions Made by Applicants .. 136. Section 5-854. Violations .. 138. Part IX. Special Provisions for Frederick County. Section 5-857. Definitions .. 139. Section 5-858. Prohibited Actions .. 142. Section 5-859. Ex Parte Communications .. 142. Section 5-860. Affidavit .. 143. Section 5-861. Enforcement .. 143. Section 5-862. Violations; .. 143. Part X. Special Provisions for Frederick County Campaign Activity Concerning County Board and Commission Members and the Board of License Commissioners.

10 Section 5-865. Applicability of Part .. 144. vi Section 5-866. Vacating Position on Board or Commission .. 144. Part XI. Special Provisions for Anne Arundel County. Section 5-869. Definitions .. 145. Section 5-870. Regulation of participation in certain legislative actions if campaign contribution .. 146. Section 5-871. Administration and implementation of local law.. 146. Subtitle 9.. 146. Section 5-901. Petition by ETHICS Commission .. 146. Section 5-902. Judicial .. 146. Section 5-903. Criminal Penalties .. 147. Section 5-904. Disciplinary Action .. 148. Subtitle 10. Short Title .. 148. Section 5-1001. Short Title.. 148. vii Article General Provisions Title 5. MARYLAND PUBLIC ETHICS Law. Subtitle 1. Definitions; General Provisions. 5 101. Definitions. (a) In general. In this title the following words have the meanings indicated unless: (1) the context clearly requires a different meaning; or (2) a different definition is adopted for a particular provision.