MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB251

Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB251 Compare Versions

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1- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 74
21
3-– 1 –
4-Chapter 74
5-(Senate Bill 251)
62
7-AN ACT concerning
3+EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4+ [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5+ Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6+ Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7+amendment.
8+ *sb0251*
89
9-Maryland Public Ethics Law – Training and Financial Disclosure Requirements
10-– Revisions
10+SENATE BILL 251
11+G2 5lr0043
12+ (PRE–FILED) CF HB 230
13+By: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By Request –
14+Departmental – State Ethics Commission)
15+Requested: September 18, 2024
16+Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
17+Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
18+Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
19+Senate action: Adopted
20+Read second time: January 24, 2025
1121
12-FOR the purpose of altering the format of certain training courses provided by the State
13-Ethics Commission for certain State employees and regulated lobbyists; altering the
14-scope of disclosure for the employment of an individual or a member of the
15-individual’s immediate family reported in a financial disclosure statement; and
16-generally relating to public ethics training and financial disclosure requirements.
22+CHAPTER ______
1723
18-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
19- Article – General Provisions
20- Section 5–205(d) and (e), 5–505(c)(2)(i), and 5–607(i)
21- Annotated Code of Maryland
22- (2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
24+AN ACT concerning 1
2325
24-BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
25- Article – General Provisions
26-Section 5–505(c)(1) and 5–607(a)
27- Annotated Code of Maryland
28- (2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
26+Maryland Public Ethics Law – Training and Financial Disclosure Requirements 2
27+– Revisions 3
2928
30- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
31-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
29+FOR the purpose of altering the format of certain training courses provided by the State 4
30+Ethics Commission for certain State employees and regulated lobbyists; altering the 5
31+scope of disclosure for the employment of an individual or a member of the 6
32+individual’s immediate family reported in a financial disclosure statement; and 7
33+generally relating to public ethics training and financial disclosure requirements. 8
3234
33-Article – General Provisions
35+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
36+ Article – General Provisions 10
37+ Section 5–205(d) and (e), 5–505(c)(2)(i), and 5–607(i) 11
38+ Annotated Code of Maryland 12
39+ (2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
3440
35-5–205.
41+BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
42+ Article – General Provisions 15
43+Section 5–505(c)(1) and 5–607(a) 16
44+ Annotated Code of Maryland 17
45+ (2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
3646
37- (d) (1) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course [of at least 2
38-hours] THROUGH ONLIN E TRAINING OR LIVE P RESENTATION on the CONFLICT OF
39-INTEREST, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE , RELEVANT ADMINISTRAT IVE, AND OTHER
40-APPLICABLE requirements of the Maryland Public Ethics Law for an individual who:
47+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
48+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20 2 SENATE BILL 251
4149
42- (i) fills a vacancy in a position that has been identified as a public
43-official position under § 5–103 of this title;
4450
45- (ii) serves in a position identified as a public official position under §
46-5–103 of this title; or
47- Ch. 74 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
4851
49-– 2 –
50- (iii) on or after January 19, 2023, is a State official that is subject to
51-the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission under § 5–104(a) of this title.
52+Article – General Provisions 1
5253
53- (2) The individual shall complete the training course within 6 months of:
54+5–205. 2
5455
55- (i) filling a vacancy; or
56+ (d) (1) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course [of at least 2 3
57+hours] THROUGH ONLINE TRAIN ING OR LIVE PRESENTA TION on the CONFLICT OF 4
58+INTEREST, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE , RELEVANT A DMINISTRATIVE , AND OTHER 5
59+APPLICABLE requirements of the Maryland Public Ethics Law for an individual who: 6
5660
57- (ii) a position being identified as a public official position.
61+ (i) fills a vacancy in a position that has been identified as a public 7
62+official position under § 5–103 of this title; 8
5863
59- (3) The training requirement under this subsection does not apply to an
60-individual who:
64+ (ii) serves in a position identified as a public official position under § 9
65+5–103 of this title; or 10
6166
62- (i) except for a member of a board of license commissioners or a
63-liquor control board, is a public official only as a member of a commission, task force, or
64-similar entity; or
67+ (iii) on or after January 19, 2023, is a State official that is subject to 11
68+the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission under § 5–104(a) of this title. 12
6569
66- (ii) has completed a training course provided by the Ethics
67-Commission while serving in another public official position.
70+ (2) The individual shall complete the training course within 6 months of: 13
6871
69- (e) (1) (i) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course for
70-regulated lobbyists and prospective regulated lobbyists at least twice each year THROUGH
71-ONLINE TRAINING OR L IVE PRESENTATION on the provisions of the Maryland Public
72-Ethics Law, including provisions related to discrimination and harassment, relevant to
73-regulated lobbyists.
72+ (i) filling a vacancy; or 14
7473
75- (ii) One training course shall be held each January.
74+ (ii) a position being identified as a public official position. 15
7675
77- (2) When a person initially registers as a regulated lobbyist, the Ethics
78-Commission shall provide the person with information on the provisions of the Maryland
79-Public Ethics Law relevant to regulated lobbyists.
76+ (3) The training requirement under this subsection does not apply to an 16
77+individual who: 17
8078
81-5–505.
79+ (i) except for a member of a board of license commissioners or a 18
80+liquor control board, is a public official only as a member of a commission, task force, or 19
81+similar entity; or 20
8282
83- (c) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, an official or employee
84-may accept a gift listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection unless:
83+ (ii) has completed a training course provided by the Ethics 21
84+Commission while serving in another public official position. 22
8585
86- (i) the gift would tend to impair the impartiality and independent
87-judgment of the official or employee; or
86+ (e) (1) (i) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course for 23
87+regulated lobbyists and prospective regulated lobbyists at least twice each year THROUGH 24
88+ONLINE TRAINING OR L IVE PRESENTATION on the provisions of the Maryland Public 25
89+Ethics Law, including provisions related to discrimination and harassment, relevant to 26
90+regulated lobbyists. 27
8891
89- (ii) as to a gift of significant value:
92+ (ii) One training course shall be held each January. 28
9093
91- 1. the gift would give the appearance of impairing the
92-impartiality and independent judgment of the official or employee; or
93- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 74
94+ (2) When a person initially registers as a regulated lobbyist, the Ethics 29
95+Commission shall provide the person with information on the provisions of the Maryland 30
96+Public Ethics Law relevant to regulated lobbyists. 31 SENATE BILL 251 3
9497
95-– 3 –
96- 2. the official or employee believes or has reason to believe
97-that the gift is designed to impair the impartiality and independent judgment of the official
98-or employee.
9998
100- (2) Subject to paragraph (1) of this subsection, subsection (b) of this section
101-does not apply to:
10299
103- (i) 1. except for officials of the Legislative Branch, meals or
104-beverages received and consumed by the official or employee in the presence of the donor
105-or sponsoring entity;
100+5–505. 1
106101
107- 2. for officials of the Legislative Branch, food or beverages
108-received and consumed by the official in the presence of the donor or sponsoring entity as
109-part of a meal or reception to which all members of a legislative unit were invited;
102+ (c) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, an official or employee 2
103+may accept a gift listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection unless: 3
110104
111- 3. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages
112-received from a donor or sponsoring entity, other than an individual regulated lobbyist
113-described in [§ 5–701(a)(1)] § 5–702(A)(1) of this title, during a period when the General
114-Assembly is not in session, at a location that is within a county that contains the member’s
115-district, provided that the donor or sponsoring entity is located within a county that
116-contains the member’s district; or
105+ (i) the gift would tend to impair the impartiality and independent 4
106+judgment of the official or employee; or 5
117107
118- 4. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages
119-received at the time and geographic location of a meeting of a legislative organization for
120-which the member’s presiding officer has approved the member’s attendance at State
121-expense;
108+ (ii) as to a gift of significant value: 6
122109
123-5–607.
110+ 1. the gift would give the appearance of impairing the 7
111+impartiality and independent judgment of the official or employee; or 8
124112
125- (a) A statement that is required under § 5–601(a) of this subtitle shall contain
126-schedules disclosing the information and interests specified in this section, if known, for
127-the individual making the statement for the applicable period.
113+ 2. the official or employee believes or has reason to believe 9
114+that the gift is designed to impair the impartiality and independent judgment of the official 10
115+or employee. 11
128116
129- (i) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the statement
130-shall include a schedule listing the name and address of each:
117+ (2) Subject to paragraph (1) of this subsection, subsection (b) of this section 12
118+does not apply to: 13
131119
132- (i) [place] SOURCE of the [salaried] COMPENSATED employment,
133-including secondary employment, of the individual or a member of the individual’s
134-immediate family at any time during the applicable period;
120+ (i) 1. except for officials of the Legislative Branch, meals or 14
121+beverages received and consumed by the official or employee in the presence of the donor 15
122+or sponsoring entity; 16
135123
136- (ii) business entity of which the individual or a member of the
137-individual’s immediate family was a sole or partial owner, and from which the individual
138-or family member received earned income, at any time during the applicable period; and
139- Ch. 74 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND
124+ 2. for officials of the Legislative Branch, food or beverages 17
125+received and consumed by the official in the presence of the donor or sponsoring entity as 18
126+part of a meal or reception to which all members of a legislative unit were invited; 19
140127
141-– 4 –
142- (iii) for a statement filed on or after January 1, 2019, if the
143-individual’s spouse is a regulated lobbyist, entity that has engaged the spouse for lobbying
144-purposes.
128+ 3. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages 20
129+received from a donor or sponsoring entity, other than an individual regulated lobbyist 21
130+described in [§ 5–701(a)(1)] § 5–702(A)(1) of this title, during a period when the General 22
131+Assembly is not in session, at a location that is within a county that contains the member’s 23
132+district, provided that the donor or sponsoring entity is located within a county that 24
133+contains the member’s district; or 25
145134
146- (2) The statement may not include a listing of a minor child’s employment
147-or business entities of which the child is sole or partial owner, unless the place of
148-employment or the business entity:
135+ 4. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages 26
136+received at the time and geographic location of a meeting of a legislative organization for 27
137+which the member’s presiding officer has approved the member’s attendance at State 28
138+expense; 29
149139
150- (i) is subject to the regulation or authority of the agency that
151-employs the individual; or
140+5–607. 30
152141
153- (ii) has contracts in excess of $10,000 with the agency that employs
154-the individual.
142+ (a) A statement that is required under § 5–601(a) of this subtitle shall contain 31
143+schedules disclosing the information and interests specified in this section, if known, for 32
144+the individual making the statement for the applicable period. 33
145+ 4 SENATE BILL 251
155146
156- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
157-October 1, 2025.
158147
159-Approved by the Governor, April 8, 2025.
148+ (i) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the statement 1
149+shall include a schedule listing the name and address of each: 2
150+
151+ (i) [place] SOURCE of the [salaried] COMPENSATED employment, 3
152+including secondary employment, of the individual or a member of the individual’s 4
153+immediate family at any time during the applicable period; 5
154+
155+ (ii) business entity of which the individual or a member of the 6
156+individual’s immediate family was a sole or partial owner, and from which the individual 7
157+or family member received earned income, at any time during the applicable period; and 8
158+
159+ (iii) for a statement filed on or after January 1, 2019, if the 9
160+individual’s spouse is a regulated lobbyist, entity that has engaged the spouse for lobbying 10
161+purposes. 11
162+
163+ (2) The statement may not include a listing of a minor child’s employment 12
164+or business entities of which the child is sole or partial owner, unless the place of 13
165+employment or the business entity: 14
166+
167+ (i) is subject to the regulation or authority of the agency that 15
168+employs the individual; or 16
169+
170+ (ii) has contracts in excess of $10,000 with the agency that employs 17
171+the individual. 18
172+
173+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
174+October 1, 2025. 20
175+
176+
177+
178+
179+Approved:
180+________________________________________________________________________________
181+ Governor.
182+________________________________________________________________________________
183+ President of the Senate.
184+________________________________________________________________________________
185+ Speaker of the House of Delegates.