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<section article="gel" article_name="Election Law" number="13-604.3" title_number="13" title_name="Campaign Finance" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Prohibited Acts and Penalties">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The State Administrator or the State Administrator’s designee may investigate a potential violation of § 13–238 or § 13–250 of this title.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The State Administrator or the State Administrator’s designee shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>notify a person that is subject to an investigation under this section of the circumstances that gave rise to the investigation; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>provide the person ample opportunity to be heard at a public meeting of the State Board.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In furtherance of an investigation under this section, the State Administrator or the State Administrator’s designee may issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness to testify or the production of records.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A subpoena issued under this subsection shall be served in accordance with the Maryland Rules.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In order for a subpoena to be issued under this subsection, the State Administrator shall make a finding that the subpoena is necessary to and in furtherance of an investigation being conducted under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Any filing submitted to a court with respect to a subpoena under this subsection shall be sealed on filing.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If a person fails to comply with a subpoena issued under this subsection, on petition of the State Administrator, a circuit court of competent jurisdiction may compel compliance with the subpoena.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>At the conclusion of the investigation and following the hearing under subsection (b)(2) of this section, the State Board shall issue a public report of its findings and may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>impose a civil penalty in the amount and manner specified in § 13–604.1 of this subtitle; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>refer the matter for further investigation by the State Prosecutor if the State Board has reasonable cause to believe that a person has willfully and knowingly violated § 13–238 or § 13–250 of this title.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
