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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-512" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Conflicts of Interest">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section, “close economic association” means the association between a legislator and:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the legislator’s:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>employer;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>employee; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>partner in a business or professional enterprise;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company in which the legislator has invested capital or owns an interest;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a corporation in which the legislator owns the lesser of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>10% or more of the outstanding capital stock; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>capital stock with a cumulative value of $35,000 or more;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a corporation in which the legislator is an officer, a director, or an agent; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>an entity with which the legislator is negotiating employment or has arranged prospective employment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Close economic association” does not include a legislator’s ownership of stock directly through a mutual fund, an exchange–traded fund, a retirement plan, or any other similar commingled investment vehicle the individual investments of which the legislator does not control or manage.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An interest of a member of the General Assembly conflicts with the public interest if the legislator’s interest tends to impair the legislator’s independence of judgment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The conflict disqualifies the legislator from participating in any legislative action, or otherwise attempting to influence any legislation, to which the conflict relates.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>It is presumed that an interest disqualifies a legislator from participating in legislative action whenever the legislator:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>has or acquires a direct interest in an enterprise that would be affected by the legislator’s vote on proposed legislation, unless the interest is common to all members of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a profession or occupation of which the legislator is a member; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the general public or a large class of the general public;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>benefits financially from a close economic association with a person whom the legislator knows has a direct interest in an enterprise or interest that would be affected by the legislator’s participation in legislative action, differently from other like enterprises or interests;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>benefits financially from a close economic association with a person who is lobbying for the purpose of influencing legislative action; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept a loan, other than a loan from a commercial lender in the normal course of business, from a person who would be affected by or has an interest in an enterprise that would be affected by the legislator’s participation in legislative action.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
