2013 Maryland Code
STATE GOVERNMENT
§ 15-205 - Duties

§15-205.

(a) The Ethics Commission shall:

(1) except as otherwise expressly provided in this title, administer the provisions of this title;

(2) prescribe and provide forms for each document required by this title;

(3) retain as a public record each document filed with the Ethics Commission for at least 4 years after receipt;

(4) periodically review the adequacy of public ethics laws;

(5) review each statement and report filed in accordance with Subtitle 6 or Subtitle 7 of this title and notify officials and employees submitting documents under Subtitle 6 of this title of any omissions or deficiencies; and

(6) publish and make available to persons subject to this title, and to the public, information that explains the provisions of this title, the duties imposed by it, and the means for enforcing it.

(b) (1) The Ethics Commission shall adopt by regulation model provisions for local governments that relate to:

(i) conflicts of interest;

(ii) financial disclosure; and

(iii) regulation of lobbying.

(2) Model provisions adopted under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be:

(i) adopted by any local jurisdiction; or

(ii) in accordance with Subtitle 8 of this title, imposed on a local jurisdiction.

(c) (1) The Ethics Commission shall:

(i) compile annually an alphabetized list of entities doing business with the State, as defined in § 15-102 of this title, during the preceding calendar year; and

(ii) make information from the list available to individuals required to file a statement under Subtitle 6 of this title.

(2) The list prepared under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be available for public inspection by March 1 of each year.

(3) On request of the Ethics Commission, an official or a unit of State government, in a timely manner, shall provide the Commission with any information necessary for the Commission to perform its duties under this subsection.

(d) (1) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course of not less than 2 hours on the requirements of the Public Ethics Law for an individual who:

(i) fills a vacancy after September 30, 1999 in a position that has been identified as a public official position pursuant to § 15-103 of this title; or

(ii) serves in a position identified after September 30, 1999 as a public official position pursuant to § 15-103 of this title.

(2) An individual specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall complete a training course provided by the Ethics Commission within 6 months of filling a vacancy or a position being identified as a public official position.

(3) The training requirement under this subsection does not apply to an individual who:

(i) is a public official only as a member of a commission, task force, or similar entity; or

(ii) has completed a training course provided by the Ethics Commission while serving in another public official position.

(e) (1) (i) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course for regulated lobbyists and prospective regulated lobbyists at least twice each year regarding the provisions of the Maryland Public Ethics Law relevant to regulated lobbyists. One such course shall be conducted in the month of January.

(ii) A regulated lobbyist, other than the employer of a regulated lobbyist as described in § 15-701(a)(6) of this title, shall attend a training course provided under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph at least once in any 2-year period during which a lobbyist has registered with the Ethics Commission.

(2) At the time of a person’s initial registration as a regulated lobbyist, the Ethics Commission shall provide the person with information relating to the provisions of the Maryland Public Ethics Law relevant to regulated lobbyists.

(f) Subject to § 2-1246 of this article, the Ethics Commission shall submit to the General Assembly:

(1) an annual report on its activities; and

(2) based on its investigations and studies, other special reports with recommendations for legislation as may be appropriate.