<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-506" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Conflicts of Interest">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An official or employee may not intentionally use the prestige of office or public position:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for that official’s or employee’s private gain or that of another; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>to influence, except as part of the official duties of the official or employee or as a usual and customary constituent service without additional compensation, the award of a State or local contract to a specific person.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An official may not directly or indirectly initiate a solicitation for a person to retain the compensated services of a particular regulated lobbyist or lobbying firm.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The performance of usual and customary constituent services, without additional compensation, is not prohibited under subsection (a) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A public official or employee may not use public resources or the title of the public official or employee to solicit a political contribution that is regulated in accordance with the Election Law Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A State official may not use public resources to solicit a political contribution that is regulated in accordance with the Election Law Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
