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<article heading="Article VI. Enforcement.">
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-27. Injunctive or other relief; cease and desist orders; voiding official actions.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   The Commission may ask special counsel appointed under Section 19A-5(f)(4) or the County Attorney to, or the County Attorney may on his or her own initiative, seek injunctive or other appropriate relief to require compliance with this Chapter or Sections 2-109, 11B-51 or 11B-52(a) in a court of competent jurisdiction.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   The court may:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   order a person to stop violating this Chapter or Sections 2-109, 11B-51 or 11B-52(a); or</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   void an official action if:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(A)   the action arises from or involves the subject matter of a conflict of interest for which no waiver was granted;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(B)   the outcome of the official action was substantially affected by the conflict of interest; and</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(C)   legal action is filed within 90 days after the official action.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(c)   The court, after hearing and considering all the circumstances, may grant all or part of the relief sought. However, an official action is not voidable if that action:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   appropriates funds;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   levies a tax; or</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(3)   provides for the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidence of public obligation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(d)   Except as expressly provided otherwise, any remedy specified in this Article may be invoked regardless of whether the Commission has found, after holding a hearing under Section 19A-10(c), that a public employee violated this Chapter.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-28. Penalties.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   Unless otherwise indicated, any violation of this Chapter or regulations adopted under it, or any violation of an order of the Commission, is a class A violation.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   The County Executive may authorize Commission staff or another County employee to issue a citation for any violation.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-29. Civil recovery.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   The County may recover damages, property, and the value of anything received by any person in a transaction that violates:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   Article III of this Chapter;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   Article XII of Chapter 11B; or</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(3)   Section 2-109.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   The County may use a setoff, attachment, garnishment, or any other appropriate legal action or proceeding to recover any amount or property due.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(c)   A taxpayer of the County may file a legal action under subsection (a) on behalf of the County if:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   the taxpayer files a written demand with the County Attorney to bring an action under subsection (a); and</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   the County Attorney does not file the action within 60 days after receiving the written demand.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(d)   The Court may order that a substantially prevailing party to an action under this Section be reimbursed court costs and litigation expenses, including a reasonable attorney fee.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-30. Termination or other disciplinary action; suspension of compensation.">
    <paragraph indent="1">If the Commission finds after holding a hearing under Section 19A-10(c) that a public employee has violated this Chapter, the appointing authority may:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   terminate employment or take other disciplinary action; and</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   suspend payment of salary or other compensation until the employee complies with an order of the Commission.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-31. Retaining papers and documents.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   Any person who is subject to this Chapter must obtain and preserve all documents that are necessary to complete and substantiate any reports, statements, or records required under this Chapter. These documents must be retained for 3 years after the report, statement, or record that involves the documents is filed. These documents must also be available for inspection by the Commission after reasonable notice.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   The Commission must retain for 4 years all documents submitted to it.</paragraph>
  </section>
  <section heading="Sec. 19A-32. Removal for failure to file financial disclosure statement.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   If a public employee does not file a complete financial disclosure statement when required to under Section 19A-18, the Chief Administrative Officer (for employees in the Executive Branch) or the Executive Director of the Office of the County Council (for employees in the Legislative Branch) may remove the employee from employment with a County agency or from membership on a board, commission or similar body, paid or unpaid. Before an employee is removed for failing to file a financial disclosure statement, the County Attorney must give the employee 30 days notice of the proposed removal. The Chief Administrative Officer and the Executive Director of the Office of the County Council must not remove an employee if the employee files the required financial disclosure statement within the time specified in the notice. This section does not apply to an elected public employee.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   In addition to any action taken under subsection (a), the Commission may impose a fine of $2 per day, up to a maximum of $250, against any person who does not file a complete financial disclosure statement on or before the date it is due.  Within 30 days after a fine is imposed under this subsection, the person against whom the fine is assessed may file a written request with the Commission to reduce or waive the fine for good cause.</paragraph>
  </section>
</article>