Sec. 2-295. Lobbying Disclosure
Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 2-295 (2026)
Sec. 2-295. Lobbying DisclosureLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Except as provided in Subsections (l) and (m) of this Section, any person who engages in lobbying as defined in Section 2-291(a)(9) shall file and certify, under oath or affirmation, a lobbying registration with the Board on or before the beginning of the calendar year in which a person expects to lobby or within five (5) days after engaging in lobbying activities, if this person, during the calendar year, either:
(1)
Expends (exclusive of personal travel and subsistence expenses) in excess of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) in furtherance of this activity; or
(2)
Is compensated in excess of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) in connection with this activity; or
(3)
Expends in excess of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) engaging in activities having the express purpose of soliciting others to communicate with an official with the intent to influence that official.
(b)
Except as provided in Subsections (l) and (m) of this Section, any person who engages in lobbying before any Prince George's County executive or legislative officer, agency, board, or commission, and who, during the calendar year, expends in excess of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) on food, entertainment, or other gifts for any County official or employee (Executive or Legislative) in connection with these activities, shall file a lobbying registration with the Board on or before the beginning of the calendar year in which the person expects to lobby or within five (5) days after engaging in lobbying activities. Any person exempt by paragraph (m) shall file a short statement indicating that the person is exempt under Subsection (m). Any person exempt by paragraph (l) may file a short statement indicating the exemption under Subsection (l).
(c)
The registration filed pursuant to Subsection (a) or (b) of this Section shall be dated and on a form developed by the Board with the assistance of the Office of Ethics and Accountability, and except for the short statements indicating any exemption under Subsections (l) and (m) shall include the following:
(1)
The lobbyist's full and legal name and permanent address;
(2)
The full and legal name and address, and nature of business of any person on whose behalf the lobbyist acts, or where the person is an association or corporation the full name and address of the association or corporation and the full name and address of the officer who authorized the lobbyist to act;
(3)
A statement of whether the person on whose behalf the lobbyist acts is exempt from registration pursuant to Subsection (m) of this Section;
(4)
The identification, by formal designation, if known, of matters on which the lobbyist expects to act;
(5)
Identification of the period of time (to be contained within a single calendar year) during which the lobbyist is authorized to engage in these activities, unless sooner terminated; and
(6)
The full legal signature of the lobbyist and, when appropriate, the person on whose behalf he acts, or an agent or authorized officer thereof.
(d)
A person who engages in lobbying on behalf of more than one person shall file a separate registration for each such person.
(e)
A person who engages in lobbying may terminate his registration by written notice to the Board. Any reports outstanding under Subsection (c) of this Section must be submitted with this notification. Termination shall be effective thirty (30) days after receipt by the Board of this notice properly filed.
(f)
No person may engage in lobbying activities on behalf of another person or entity for compensation, the payment of which is contingent upon the passage or defeat of any action by the Council or the outcome of any executive action.
(g)
Each lobbyist shall file with the Board one report covering the period beginning January 1 through December 31 filed by January 31 of the following year. If the lobbyist is not an individual, an authorized officer or agent of the entity shall sign the form. A separate activity report shall be filed for each person on whose behalf he acts. The report shall include:
(1)
A complete and current statement of the information required to be supplied pursuant to Subsection (c) of this Section.
(2)
Total expenditures on lobbying activities in each of the following categories:
(A)
Total compensation paid to the lobbyist not including expenses reported under subparagraphs (B) through (I), below. Total compensation includes salaries, compensation, or reimbursed expenses for the staff of the lobbyist;
(B)
Office expenses of the lobbyist not reported in subparagraph (A), above;
(C)
Professional and technical research and assistance not reported in subparagraph (A), above;
(D)
Publications which expressly encourage persons to communicate with Prince George's County officials or employees;
(E)
Names of witnesses, and the fees and expenses paid to each;
(F)
Meals and beverages for Prince George's County officials or employees or their spouses or dependent children;
(G)
Special events, including parties, dinners, athletic events, entertainment, and other functions to which officials or employees are invited;
(H)
Reasonable expenses for food, lodging, and scheduled entertainment of officials or employees for a meeting which is given in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement at the meeting;
(I)
Other gifts to or for officials or employees or their spouses or dependent children; and
(J)
Other expenses.
(3)
Except for gifts reported in subparagraphs (2)(G) and (H), above, the name of each official or employee or his spouse or dependent child who has benefited from gifts from the lobbyist with a cumulative value of Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00), or more, during the period covered by the report whether or not given in connection with the lobbyist's lobbying activities. When the Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) cumulative value is met or exceeded, all succeeding gifts shall also be itemized by date, beneficiary, amount or value, and nature of the gift. Expenses reported in subparagraphs (2)(G) and (H), above, shall be itemized as to date, location, and expense of the event, but allocation to individual officials or employees need not be listed.
(h)
(1)
If any report filed under Subsection (g) contains the name of an official or employee or his spouse or dependent child as required under paragraph (3), thereof, the Board shall notify the official or employee within thirty (30) days. The Board shall keep the report confidential for sixty (60) days following the receipt of it.
(2)
Following notification of the inclusion of his name or that of his spouse or dependent child, in a report filed by a lobbyist, an official or employee shall have thirty (30) days to file a written exception to the inclusion of his name or that of his spouse or dependent child.
(i)
The Board may require submission of such other reports as it deems necessary.
(j)
All registrations and reports filed pursuant to this Section shall be maintained by the Board, or an office designated by it, and shall be made available during normal office hours, for examination and copying by the public, subject, however, to such reasonable fees and administrative procedures as may be established by the Council or by the Board. The forms shall be retained for four (4) years from the date of receipt.
(k)
The registration and reports filed pursuant to this Section shall be reviewed by the Board for compliance with the provisions of this Section, and persons engaging in lobbying activities shall be notified of any omissions or deficiencies. The Board shall seek the advice of the Office of Ethics and Accountability, as appropriate. Evidence of noncompliance with this Section shall be acted upon by the Board or referred to the Council or the State's Attorney for appropriate action.
(l)
Exemption. The provisions of this Section do not apply to the following acts:
(1)
Professional services in drafting bills or in advising and rendering opinions to clients as to the construction and effect of proposed or pending Council actions when these services do not otherwise constitute lobbying activities;
(2)
Appearances before the Council upon its specific invitation or request but only if the person engages in no further or other activities in connection with the passage or defeat of Council actions;
(3)
Appearances as part of the official duties of a duly elected or appointed official or employee of the State or a political subdivision of the State, or of the United States, and not in behalf of any other entity;
(4)
Actions of a publisher or working member of the press, radio, or television in the ordinary course of the business of disseminating news or making editorial comment to the general public who does not, however, engage in further or other lobbying that would directly and specifically benefit the economic, business, or professional interests of himself or his employer;
(5)
Appearances by an individual before the Council at the specific invitation or request of a registered lobbyist, provided no other lobbying act is undertaken, and provided the witness identifies himself to the Council as testifying at the request of the lobbyist;
(6)
The representation of a bona fide religious organization solely for the purpose of protecting the right of its own members to practice the doctrine of the organization;
(7)
Appearances as part of the official duties of an officer, director, member, or employee of an association engaged exclusively in lobbying for counties or municipalities and not on behalf of any other entity;
(8)
Appearances before a County agency upon the specific invitation or request of the agency if the person or entity engages in no further or other activities in connection with the passage or defeat of any agency executive action; and
(9)
Appearances by an individual before a County agency at the specific invitation or request of a registered lobbyist if the person or entity performs no other lobbying act and notifies the agency that the person or entity is testifying at the request of the lobbyist.
(m)
Limited exemption. A person who would otherwise be required to file a registration and submit reports pursuant to Subsections (a), (b), and (g), above, is not required to file if he reasonably believes that all expenses incurred in connection with his lobbying activities will be reported pursuant to Subsection (g) by a properly registered person acting on his behalf. The authorization required by Subsection (c), above, shall be completed by these individuals as to persons acting on their behalf. Persons exempted herein, however, become subject to the provisions of this Section immediately, upon failure of the registrant to report any information required by this Section.
(n)
The Board shall compute and make available a subtotal under each of the ten (10) required categories in paragraph (g)(2) of this Section, and a subtotal representing the combined total of paragraph (g)(2), subparagraphs (G), (H), and (I) of paragraph (g)(2). The Board also shall compute and make available the total amount reported by all lobbyists for their lobbying activities during the reporting period.