1442                                      LAWS OF MARYLAND                                    Ch. 513

(A) THE COMMISSION APPROPRIATE ADVISORY BODY SHALL
ISSUE AN ADVISORY OPINION CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THIS
ARTICLE AT THE REQUEST OF A PERSON SUBJECT TO ITS

PROVISIONS. THE COMMISSION MAY ISSUE AN ADVISORY OPINION

CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE ARTICLE AT THE REQUEST OF

ANY OTHER PERSON AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE. SUCH OPINIONS

SHALL PREVAIL TO THE EXTENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCY WITH

ADVISORY OPINIONS OF THE JUDICIAL ETHICS--COMMITTEE OR THE

JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE ETHICS. AN ADVISORY OPINION

CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE ARTICLE MAY BE ISSUED__AT

THE REQUEST OF ANY OTHER PERSON AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE.

(B) THE COMMISSION SHALL ISSUE AN ADVISORY OPINION

(B) ADVISORY OPINIONS REQUIRED BY SUBSECTION (A) SHALL BE
ISSUED BY THE COMMISSION WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF THE
REQUEST, OR MORE PROMPTLY IF CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE IT.

(C)   ADVISORY OPINIONS SHALL BE IN WRITING AND BE

PUBLISHED IN THE MARYLAND REGISTER. BEFORE AN ADVISORY

OPINION IS MADE PUBLIC, ANY MATERIAL WHICH MAY IDENTIFY THE
PERSON WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF THE OPINION, SHALL, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, BE DELETED, AND THE IDENTITY OF THE
PERSON SHALL NOT BE REVEALED.

(D)    UNTIL THE COMMISSION UNLESS THE APPROPRIATE

ADVISORY BODY OTHERWISE DECIDES, A PERSON SUBJECT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY RELY UPON A PUBLISHED
OPINIONS OPINION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH BOARD OF ETHICS,

PUBLIC DISCLOSURE ADVISORY BOARD, JOINT COMMITTEE ON

LEGISLATIVE ETHICS, ANY COMPARABLE LOCAL BODY, OR ANY OTHER

SIMILAR OR PREDECESSOR BODY, WHICH OPINIONS INTERPRET PRIOR

LAWS OR RULES NOT PLAINLY INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS

OF THIS ARTICLE UNLESS THAT OPINION IS PLAINLY INCONSISTENT
WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.

(E)   IF THE APPROPRIATE ADVISORY BODY HAS ISSUED AN
ADVISORY OPINION WITH RESPECT TO A STATE OFFICIAL OF THE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND A QUESTION ARISING UNDER TITLE 4, THE

JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE ETHICS, UPON REQUEST OF THE

OFFICIAL AND PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION,
SHALL ISSUE A FURTHER ADVISORY OPINION ON THAT QUESTION. TO
THE EXTENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE TWO OPINIONS,
THE OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL PREVAIL.

       (C) ADVISORY OPINIONS SHALL BE IN WRITING AND ARE

PUBLIC RECORDS WHICH SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE MARYLAND

REGISTER. THE PUBLIC MAY INSPECT THE ADVISORY OPINIONS IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 76A OF THIS CODE.

BEFORE THE COMMISSION OR THE JUDICIAL ETHICS COMMITTEE OR

THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE ETHICS PUBLISHES AN

ADVISORY OPINION OR MAKES IT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC

INSPECTION, IT SHALL DELETE ANY MATERIAL TO THE EXTENT

POSSIBLE WHICH MAY IDENTIFY THE PERSON WHO REQUESTED THE

OPINION, AND DELETE THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON UNLESS THE

PERSON CONSENTS TO THE IDENTIFICATION.