4136

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 767

(3)  Other employment. No public official shall
accept other employment which he may reasonably believe will
impair his independence of judgment in the exercise of his
official duties.

(4)  Confidential information. No public
official shall disclose confidential information acquired by
him in the course of his official duties nor use such
information to further his personal interests.

(5)  Appearance as attorney, etc. No public
official shall voluntarily appear as attorney, counsel, or
otherwise represent private interests or give opinion
evidence against the interests of the county or its agencies
or agencies of the state operating for the county in any
action or proceedings in which the county or agency or any
official of the county or agency acting in his official duty
is a party, except where the interests of the county or
agency are incompatible or adverse one to the other, and the
official has been assigned to so appear or give evidence in
accordance with his duty, or where such participation in
matters with the county has no relationship to the official
duties of such official.

(6)  Contracts. No public official shall have
any interest, direct or indirect, in any contract with the
county commissioners or any agency or department or receive
any benefit or profit therefrom except as provided under
subsection (g) of this section.

(7)  Ex parte communications generally. When a
public official shall receive any ex parte communication
concerning a case where a determination or decision is
required by law to be made only after a public hearing for
interested parties, such official shall make the ex parte
communication public and a part of the record of such
proceedings.

(8)  Ex parte communications with public
officials. When a public official shall receive any ex
parte communication dealing with the merits of a case
wherein that official's determination or decision is
required by law to be made only after a public hearing for
interested parties, and if the communication be oral, the
substance of such communication shall be duly noted for the
purposes of the record, and if such communication be in
writing, then the entire writing shall be placed upon the
record.

(e)  Any public official who has, will have or later
acquires an interest in any actual or proposed contract with
Prince George's County, shall publicly disclose the nature
and extent of such interest in writing to the office of the
senior resident judge of the circuit court for Prince
George's County as soon as he has knowledge of such actual
or prospective interest. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this subsection, disclosures shall not be required in the
case of an interest in a contract described in subsection
(g) of this section.

(f)  Any public official who willfully and knowingly
violates the foregoing provisions of subsections (d) and (e)