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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-403" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Procedures for Complaint of Violation of Title">
  <level label="a">
    <text>As to a complaint retained by the Ethics Commission under § 5–402(b) of this subtitle, the staff counsel shall collect and submit to the Ethics Commission evidence relating to each violation of this title alleged in the complaint.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Before submitting the evidence to the Ethics Commission, the staff counsel shall notify the complainant and the respondent.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Ethics Commission shall dismiss the complaint in a signed order if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the respondent, within 15 days after receiving the notice, takes any action that may be available to cure each alleged violation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the Ethics Commission finds that dismissal is not contrary to the purposes of this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the complaint is dismissed under this subsection, the Ethics Commission promptly shall send a copy of the order to the complainant and the respondent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If the Ethics Commission determines that the evidence submitted by the staff counsel does not merit further proceedings, the Ethics Commission shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>dismiss the complaint in a signed order; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>promptly send a copy of the order to the complainant and the respondent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If a complaint is not dismissed under subsection (b) or (c) of this section, the Ethics Commission shall proceed to a hearing on the complaint.</text>
  </level>
</section>
