Section 5-517 – Confidentiality
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, any matter before the Joint Ethics Committee, including information relating to any complaint, proceeding, or record of the Joint Ethics Committee, shall remain confidential. (b) Public access and inspection of an activity or a record of the Joint Ethics Committee shall be available for: (1) a […]
Section 5-518 – Review of Complaints
(a) Except as provided in § 5–518.1 of this subtitle, after the filing or preparation of a complaint under § 5–516 of this subtitle, the Joint Ethics Committee shall review the complaint and proceed in accordance with § 5–519 of this subtitle unless, after examining the complaint and the issues raised by it, the Committee finds […]
Section 5-518.1 – Investigation of Violations of Antiharassment Policies and Procedures of General Assembly or Retaliation Against Individuals Reporting Violations
(a) Unless the alleged victim objects, the Joint Ethics Committee shall refer a complaint for evaluation to an outside and independent investigator selected by the Joint Ethics Committee if the complaint alleges that a member of the General Assembly has: (1) violated the antiharassment policy and procedures of the General Assembly; or (2) retaliated against an individual for […]
Section 5-519 – Allegation Summary
(a) (1) Except as to proceedings terminated in accordance with § 5–518(b) of this subtitle, the Joint Ethics Committee shall provide to the accused legislator a copy of: (i) the complaint filed or prepared in accordance with § 5–516 of this subtitle; and (ii) the allegation summary prepared in accordance with § 5–518(c) of this subtitle. (2) The accused legislator […]
Section 5-520 – Hearing Procedures
(a) The Joint Ethics Committee shall adopt written procedures for conducting a hearing to consider a complaint, an allegation summary, and a written answer, if any. (b) The written procedures adopted by the Joint Ethics Committee under subsection (a) of this section: (1) shall be available for public inspection; (2) shall be provided to the legislator who is the […]
Section 5-521 – Findings
(a) The Joint Ethics Committee may make a finding developed from: (1) information presented during the hearing; (2) the allegation summary and any amendments to it; (3) the written answer of the accused legislator to the allegation summary, if any; and (4) any other information provided to the Joint Ethics Committee and made available to the accused legislator. (b) Consistent with […]
Section 5-522 – Referral to Prosecutorial Authorities
If the Joint Ethics Committee, at any time during its consideration of any complaint or allegation summary or during any proceeding, finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a legislator may have committed a crime, the Joint Ethics Committee shall: (1) refer the matter to an appropriate prosecuting authority; and (2) provide any information or […]
Section 5-508 – Unlawful Harassment or Discrimination Prohibited
(a) This section does not apply to a State official of the Legislative Branch or a State official of the Judicial Branch. (b) A State official may not, based on any characteristic protected by law, unlawfully harass or discriminate against: (1) an official or employee; (2) an intern, a page, or a fellow in any branch of State government; […]
Section 5-402 – Complaints — Referral
(a) For further action after the filing of a complaint, the Ethics Commission promptly shall refer the complaint to: (1) the Commission on Judicial Disabilities, if the complaint concerns a judge of a court established under Article IV, § 1 of the Maryland Constitution; (2) the Joint Ethics Committee, if the complaint concerns: (i) a State official of the […]
Section 5-509 – Retaliation Prohibited for Reporting or Participating in Investigations
An official or employee may not retaliate against an individual for reporting or participating in an investigation of a potential violation of the Maryland Public Ethics Law.