MARYLAND PUBLIC ETHICS LAW

General Provisions - Title 5

MARYLAND PUBLIC ETHICS LAW

Effective: 10/1/2023

(For Information Purposes 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 Construction ..................................8 Section 5-103. Designation of Individuals as Public Officials .........................................9 Section 5-104. Administration of Title............................................................................11 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. Regulations..............................................................................................17 Section 5-207. Oaths and Subpoenas ..............................................................................17 Section 5-208. Determination of Public Official in Executive Agency ..........................18 Section 5-209. Exemptions from Title ............................................................................18 Section 5-210. Lobbyist Registration Fund.....................................................................19

Subtitle 3. Advisory Opinions.......................................................................................................19 Section 5-301. Request for Advisory Opinion; Informal Advice ...................................19 Section 5-302. Issuance ...................................................................................................20 Section 5-303. Publication ..............................................................................................20 Section 5-304. Further Opinion by Joint Ethics Committee ...........................................20

Subtitle 4. Procedures for Complaint of Violation of Title .. ........... ........... ........... ........... .......20

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Section 5-401. Complaints - Filing; Requirements . ........... ........... ........... ........... .......20 Section 5-402. Complaints - Referrals ........ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......21 Section 5-403. Complaints - Retention by Ethics Commission ...... ........... ........... .......21 Section 5-404. Complaints - Hearing ......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......22 Section 5-405. Complaints - Disposition ... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......22 Section 5-406. Judicial Review ...... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......25 Section 5-407. Confidentiality ........ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......25 Section 5-408. Referral to Prosecuting Authority ... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......26 Section 5-409. Retention of Documents by Entities Subject to Title.......... ........... .......26

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... ........... .......30 Section 5-503. Employment Restriction - Entities Contracting with State. ........... .......32 Section 5-504. Employment Restriction - Representation or Assistance.... ........... .......32 Section 5-505. Gifts or Honoraria ... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......35 Section 5-506. Use of Prestige of Office..... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......39 Section 5-507. Disclosure or Use of Confidential Information....... ........... ........... .......39 Section 5-508. Unlawful Harassment or Discrimination Prohibited........... ........... .......39 Section 5-509. Retaliation Prohibition for Reporting or Participating in Investigations 41

Part II. Special Legislative Provisions. Section 5-511. Application of Part .. ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......41 Section 5-512. Disqualification - Presumption of Conflict . ........... ........... ........... .......41 Section 5-513. Suspension of Disqualification ....... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......42 Section 5-514. Outside Income Relating to State or Local Governmental Entities .......44 Section 5-514.1 Social Media Links in Official Electronic Legislative Newsletter .......47

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Section 5-515. Joint Ethics Committee - Written Opinions ........... ........... ........... .......48 Section 5-516. Complaints .. ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......50 Section 5-517. Confidentiality ........ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......50 Section 5-518. Review of Complaints......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......51 Section 5-518.1 Investigation of Violations of Antiharassment Policies and Procedures

of General Assembly or Retaliation Against Individuals Procedures Reporting Violations .......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......52 Section 5-519. Allegation Summary ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......53 Section 5-520. Hearing Procedures . ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......54 Section 5-521. Findings....... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......56 Section 5-522. Referral to Prosecuting Authorities. ........... ........... ........... ........... .......56

Part III. Public-Private Partnership Act Section 5-525. Institutions of Higher Education ..... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......57

Subtitle 6. Financial Disclosure ........ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......61 Section 5-601. Individuals Required to File Statement....... ........... ........... ........... .......61 Section 5-602. Financial Disclosure Statement - Filing Requirements....... ........... .......62 Section 5-603. Appointee Filling Vacancy . ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......63 Section 5-604. Official Leaving Office ....... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......63 Section 5-605. Candidates for Office .......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......64 Section 5-606. Public Record.......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......65 Section 5-607. Content of Statements ......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......66 Section 5-608. Interests Attributable to Individual Filing Statement.......... ........... .......73 Section 5-609. Certain Board Members - Modified Requirements. ........... ........... .......74 Section 5-610. Judicial Branch - State Officials and Candidates.... ........... ........... .......75 Section 5-611. Disclosure by Other Personnel and Appointees...... ........... ........... .......76

Subtitle 7. Lobbying............ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......77 Section 5-701. "Compensation" Defined .... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......77

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Section 5-702. Lobbying - Generally .......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......77 Section 5-703. Authority to Lobby.. ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......80 Section 5-704. Registration with Ethics Commission......... ........... ........... ........... .......81 Section 5-704.1. Training Course.... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......83 Section 5-705. Reports ........ ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......84 Section 5-706. Meals or Beverages . ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......86 Section 5-707. Reports of Business Transactions ? Generally ....... ........... ........... .......87 Section 5-708. Reports of Business Transactions ? Political Contributions .......... .......88 Section 5-709. Legislative Unit Meal and Receptions ........ ........... ........... ........... .......89 Section 5-710. Electronic Filing; Public Inspection; Oath or Affirmation . ........... .......90 Section 5-711. Gifts to Family Members .... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......91 Section 5-712. Additional Reports .. ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......91 Section 5-713. Disclosure of Statistics; Notice to Official Named in Report......... .......91 Section 5-714. Prohibitions . ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......92 Section 5-714.1 Reports to Ethics Commission of Violations of Antiharassment

Policies and Procedures by Regulated Lobbyist .... ........... ........... .......93 Section 5-715. Restriction on Certain Campaign Contributions..... ........... ........... .......94 Section 5-716. Statement by Person Providing Lobbyist Compensation

And Making Contributions. ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......95

Subtitle 8. Local Government Provisions ..... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......98 Part I. General Provisions.

Section 5-801. Definitions... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .......98 Part II. Public Ethics Laws for Counties and Municipal Corporations.

Section 5-804. "Elected Local Official" Defined.... ........... ........... ........... ........... .....100 Section 5-805. Scope of Part. .......... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .....100 Section 5-806. Effect on Other Provisions of Law . ........... ........... ........... ........... .....100 Section 5-807. Public Ethics Law Required ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .....100 Section 5-808. Conflict of Interest Laws..... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... .....101

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