HARRY HUGHES, Governor

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(ee) "School official" means each member of a school board
and those of its officials and employees designated as such by
that board.

(ff) "School system" means the educational system under the
authority of any school board.

(gg) "State official" means a member or member-elect of the
General Assembly, a judge or judge-elect of a court created by
Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution and a person defined in
Rule 11 of Maryland Rule No. 1232 or a constitutional officer or
officer-elect in an executive agency of the State government.
State official also means a person holding office as State's
Attorney, clerk of the circuit court for each county, register of
wills, and sheriff.

(hh) "Superintendent" means any person designated as such
in Section l-101(e) of the Education Article.

2-105.

(a)  Any person may file, under oath, a written, signed
complaint with the Commission alleging a violation of any of the
provisions of this article, and the Commission on its own motion
may issue a complaint alleging a violation of this article. The
Commission promptly shall provide the respondent with a copy of
the complaint.

(b)  If the complaint concerns a State official who is a
judge of a court established under Article IV, Section 1 of the
Constitution, the Commission promptly shall refer the complaint
to the Commission on Judicial Disabilities for further action.

(c)  If the complaint concerns a State official of the
legislative branch and a violation of Title 3 of this article,
the Commission promptly shall refer the complaint to the Joint
Committee on Legislative Ethics for further action.

(d)  If the complaint concerns any other official or any
employee PERSON, the Commission promptly shall refer the
complaint to its staff counsel for further action. With respect
to such complaints:

(1)  The staff counsel shall collect evidence relating
to the allegations of the complaint and refer that evidence to
the Commission for disposition.

(2)  If the Commission determines that the evidence
does not merit further proceedings the complaint shall be
dismissed by the Commission in a signed order. An order of
dismissal shall be sent to the complainant and to the respondent
forthwith.

(3)  Prior to referring evidence to the Commission,
the staff counsel shall notify the complainant and respondent.