Caroline County, MD Disclosure Statements

Members of the Caroline County Board of Education and the Caroline County Superintendent of Schools insofar as they are not subject to an Ethics Code otherwise adopted in accordance with state law;

(11)

The Caroline County Library Administrator insofar as the Administrator is not subject to an Ethics Code otherwise adopted in accordance with state law;

(12)

All elected officials subject to this chapter by state or local law.

Each Public Official shall file a required disclosure statement:

(1)

With the Commission;

(2)

Under oath or affirmation.

Except as provided in § 33-12E hereof, a Public Official shall file annually, not later than February 28 following each calendar year during which the Public Official served in such capacity, a disclosure statement disclosing any Gifts received during the year for which the disclosure statement is made from any Person Doing Business With The County.

The disclosure statement required by § 33-12C hereof shall be on a form prepared or approved by the Commission and shall include the following items:

(1)

The name and relevant information concerning the donor; and

(2)

The approximate retail value of the Gift.

Each Elected Official shall file with the Commission, not later than April 30 of each year, for the preceding calendar year, a disclosure statement equivalent to or exceeding the requirements of State Government Article, Title 15, Subtitle 6, of the Annotated Code of Maryland (as from time to time amended or succeeded). The form and content of such disclosure form shall be as determined by the commission in consultation with the State Ethics Commission. The filing thereof shall be in lieu of any disclosure statement required pursuant to § 33-12C and D hereof.

A person who is appointed to fill a vacancy in a term of an Elected Official shall file with the Commission the disclosure statement described in § 33-12E, above, for the preceding calendar year within 30 days of appointment, unless such a statement for the preceding calendar year has already been filed with the Commission.

An elected official who, other than by reason of death, leaves office shall file with the Commission the financial statement described in § 33-12E, above, within 60 days after leaving office, for this portion of the current calendar year in office, and, if not already filed with the Commission, the required disclosure statement for the previous calendar year.

All financial disclosure statements pursuant to this chapter are public records and available for public inspection and copying.

§ 33-13 Disclosure of Interests and employment.

[Amended 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]

All Public Officials shall file a disclosure statement disclosing any Interest or employment the holding or performing of which would require disqualification from participation pursuant to this chapter. Such statement shall be filed sufficiently in advance of any action taken or scheduled to be taken by the Public Official sufficient to provide adequate notice and disclosure to the general public.

For a statement filed on or after January 1, 2019, if a filer's spouse is a Lobbyist regulated by the County, the individual shall disclose the entity that has engaged the spouse for Lobbying purposes.

§ 33-14 Filing by candidates.

Filing.

(1)

Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, each candidate for public election to an office identified in § 33-12 shall file the required disclosure statements to described in § 33-12E at the same time the candidate files a certificate of candidacy and by April 30 of each subsequent year until the election for which the certificate of candidacy has been filed has been held.

(2)

The disclosure statements filed with a certificate of candidacy or thereafter shall cover the immediately preceding calendar year.

(3)

If a disclosure statement required by a candidate is overdue and not filed within eight days after written notice of the failure to file is provided by the County Attorney, the candidate is deemed to have withdrawn the candidacy.

[Amended 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]

If the candidate is a Public Official who has already filed a disclosure statement covering the year preceding the election, the candidate is not required to file a disclosure statement at the time the candidate files a certificate of candidacy or nomination.

A candidate shall file a disclosure statement or a supplementary disclosure statement:

(1)

With the Board of Election Supervisors, with a copy to the Commission;

(2)

Under oath or affirmation.

The Board of Election Supervisors may not accept a certificate of candidacy unless the candidate has filed the disclosure statement in proper form.

§ 33-15 Review of statements.

After a disclosure statement is submitted to the Commission, the Commission shall review the disclosure statement for compliance with this chapter and notify the filer of any omission or deficiency in the disclosure statement.

If the filer does not correct the omission or deficiency on the disclosure statement within 30 days after notification by the Commission, the Commission shall refer the matter, including the evidence of the omission or deficiency, to the County Attorney for appropriate action in accordance with the enforcement provisions of this chapter.

§ 33-16 Public disclosure of statements.

Subject to rules adopted by the Commission, the Commission shall allow a Person to examine and copy a disclosure statement filed by a Public Official under this chapter.

A Person requesting to examine or copy a disclosure statement shall file a written request including the Person's name, address, and the name of the Public Official whose disclosure statement the requester wishes to examine.

The individual shall conduct the examination or copying at the Commission's office during reasonable office hours.

Requests filed pursuant to this section shall be disclosable under state law governing public inspection and disclosure of documents.

The Commission or the office designated by the Commission may not provide public access to an individual's home address that the individual has designated as the individual's home address.

[Amended 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]