14                                Laws of Maryland                          [Ch. 5

It is also essential to the proper operation of a government that
those best qualified be encouraged to serve the government and that
safeguards against conflicts of interest be designed so as not to
unnecessarily or unreasonably impede the entry into, or retention
by government, of those best qualified to serve it. The opportunity
of the Legislator to acquire and retain private economic interests
should not be restricted, except when these conflict with his public
responsibility. It is the Legislator's use of public office to which
such restrictions are directed, and not his legitimate private affairs.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sections 89, 90 and 91 be and the same are hereby added to
Article 40 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement
Volume) (1971 Supplement), title "General Assembly," to follow im-
mediately after Section 88 thereof, and to be under the new subtitle
"Ethics," and to read as follows:

89.

(a) The Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics is established.
There shall be ten members of the Committee, five to be members of
the Senate of Maryland and five to be members of the House of
Delegates of Maryland, and these members shall include ex officio,
the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates.
The appointments shall be made by the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House who shall also appoint a chairman and
vice-chairman. The appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the Presi-
dent of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.

90.

(a) It is the function of the Committee:

(1)    To promulgate rules of legislative ethics with respect to con-
flicts of interest governing members of the General Assembly. The
rules shall be presented by a joint resolution and become effective
after adoption by a constitutional majority of each House voting
separately.

(2)    To issue guidelines and establish procedures for the imple-
mentation of rules adopted.

(3)    To issue advisory opinions upon request of members of the
General Assembly regarding legislative ethics concerning an action
taken or contemplated by any member.

(4) To maintain public records as the rules require.

91.

(a) The Committee shall meet at times it deems appropriate.
Its members shall serve without compensation for services rendered
to the Committee, but shall be paid their necessary expenses in carry-
ing out their obligations under this subtitle.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any provision of this
Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held
invalid for any reason, the invalidity shall not affect the other provi-
sions or any other application of this Act which can be given effect
without the invalid provisions or application, and to this end all the
provisions of this Act are declared to be severable.