WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 74
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Chapter 74
(Senate Bill 251)
AN ACT concerning
Maryland Public Ethics Law – Training and Financial Disclosure Requirements
– Revisions
FOR the purpose of altering the format of certain training courses provided by the State
Ethics Commission for certain State employees and regulated lobbyists; altering the
scope of disclosure for the employment of an individual or a member of the
individual’s immediate family reported in a financial disclosure statement; and
generally relating to public ethics training and financial disclosure requirements.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – General Provisions
Section 5–205(d) and (e), 5–505(c)(2)(i), and 5–607(i)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – General Provisions
Section 5–505(c)(1) and 5–607(a)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – General Provisions
5–205.
(d) (1) The Ethics Commission shall provide a training course [of at least 2
hours] THROUGH ONLIN E TRAINING OR LIVE P RESENTATION on the CONFLICT OF
INTEREST, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE , RELEVANT ADMINISTRAT IVE, AND OTHER
APPLICABLE requirements of the Maryland Public Ethics Law for an individual who:
(i) fills a vacancy in a position that has been identified as a public
official position under § 5–103 of this title;
(ii) serves in a position identified as a public official position under §
5–103 of this title; or
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(iii) on or after January 19, 2023, is a State official that is subject to
the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission under § 5–104(a) of this title.
(2) The individual shall complete the training course within 6 months of:
(i) filling a vacancy; or
(ii) a position being identified as a public official position.
(3) The training requirement under this subsection does not apply to an
individual who:
(i) except for a member of a board of license commissioners or a
liquor control board, 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 THROUGH
ONLINE TRAINING OR L IVE PRESENTATION on the provisions of the Maryland Public
Ethics Law, including provisions related to discrimination and harassment, relevant to
regulated lobbyists.
(ii) One training course shall be held each January.
(2) When a person initially registers as a regulated lobbyist, the Ethics
Commission shall provide the person with information on the provisions of the Maryland
Public Ethics Law relevant to regulated lobbyists.
5–505.
(c) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, an official or employee
may accept a gift listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection unless:
(i) the gift would tend to impair the impartiality and independent
judgment of the official or employee; or
(ii) as to a gift of significant value:
1. the gift would give the appearance of impairing the
impartiality and independent judgment of the official or employee; or
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 74
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2. the official or employee believes or has reason to believe
that the gift is designed to impair the impartiality and independent judgment of the official
or employee.
(2) Subject to paragraph (1) of this subsection, subsection (b) of this section
does not apply to:
(i) 1. except for officials of the Legislative Branch, meals or
beverages received and consumed by the official or employee in the presence of the donor
or sponsoring entity;
2. for officials of the Legislative Branch, food or beverages
received and consumed by the official in the presence of the donor or sponsoring entity as
part of a meal or reception to which all members of a legislative unit were invited;
3. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages
received from a donor or sponsoring entity, other than an individual regulated lobbyist
described in [§ 5–701(a)(1)] § 5–702(A)(1) of this title, during a period when the General
Assembly is not in session, at a location that is within a county that contains the member’s
district, provided that the donor or sponsoring entity is located within a county that
contains the member’s district; or
4. for a member of the General Assembly, food or beverages
received at the time and geographic location of a meeting of a legislative organization for
which the member’s presiding officer has approved the member’s attendance at State
expense;
5–607.
(a) A statement that is required under § 5–601(a) of this subtitle shall contain
schedules disclosing the information and interests specified in this section, if known, for
the individual making the statement for the applicable period.
(i) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the statement
shall include a schedule listing the name and address of each:
(i) [place] SOURCE of the [salaried] COMPENSATED employment,
including secondary employment, of the individual or a member of the individual’s
immediate family at any time during the applicable period;
(ii) business entity of which the individual or a member of the
individual’s immediate family was a sole or partial owner, and from which the individual
or family member received earned income, at any time during the applicable period; and
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(iii) for a statement filed on or after January 1, 2019, if the
individual’s spouse is a regulated lobbyist, entity that has engaged the spouse for lobbying
purposes.
(2) The statement may not include a listing of a minor child’s employment
or business entities of which the child is sole or partial owner, unless the place of
employment or the business entity:
(i) is subject to the regulation or authority of the agency that
employs the individual; or
(ii) has contracts in excess of $10,000 with the agency that employs
the individual.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2025.
Approved by the Governor, April 8, 2025.