Ch. 647

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

15-849.

(a)     (1) When an application is filed, the applicant shall file an affidavit, under
oath, stating whether the applicant:

(I)      has made any contribution or contributions having a cumulative
value of $500 or more to the treasurer of a candidate or the treasurer of a political
committee during the 48-month period before the application is filed, to the best of the
applicant's information, knowledge, and belief; OR

(II)     IS CURRENTLY ENGAGING IN BUSINESS WITH AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL.

(2)     (i) If the applicant or a party of record or a family member has made
a contribution or contributions having a cumulative value of $500 or more during the
48-month period before the application was filed or during the pendency of the
application, the applicant or the party of record shall file a disclosure providing the name
of the candidate or elected official to whose treasurer or political committee the
contribution was made, the amount, and the date of the contribution. However, if the
party of record is a community association, this paragraph may not be construed to
require the association to poll its members to disclose individual contributions.

(ii) A contribution made between the filing of the application and the
disposition of the application shall be disclosed within 5 business days of the contribution.

(3)      AN APPLICANT WHO BEGINS ENGAGING IN BUSINESS WITH AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL BETWEEN THE FILING OF THE APPLICATION AND THE
DISPOSITION OF THE APPLICATION SHALL FILE THE AFFIDAVIT AT THE TIME OF
ENGAGING IN BUSINESS WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIAL

(b)     [The] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (A)(3) OF THIS SECTION, THE
affidavit or disclosure shall be filed at least 30 calendar days prior to any consideration of
the application by an elected official.

(c)     Within 2 weeks after entering a proceeding, a party of record that has made a
contribution shall submit a disclosure as described in subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(d)     An affidavit or a disclosure required under this Part VII shall be in a form
established by the Howard County Solicitor and approved by the County Council. The
completed form shall be filed in the appropriate case file of an application. The
disclosure form shall repeat the penalty provision in § 15-850(a) of this Part VII.

(e)     A contribution made after the filing of the initial disclosure and before final
disposition of the application by the County Council shall be disclosed within 5 business
days of the contribution.

(f)     In the enforcement of this Part VII, the administrative clerk to the zoning
board or the administrator of the County Council, as appropriate, considering an
application shall be subject to the authority of the Howard County Ethics Commission
and, unless otherwise directed by the Ethics Commission, shall:

(1) receive filings of affidavits and disclosures;

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