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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-517" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Conflicts of Interest">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, any matter before the Joint Ethics Committee, including information relating to any complaint, proceeding, or record of the Joint Ethics Committee, shall remain confidential.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Public access and inspection of an activity or a record of the Joint Ethics Committee shall be available for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a disclosure or disclaimer of a conflict of interest form filed with the Joint Ethics Committee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a portion of a meeting in which a disclosure or disclaimer form is reviewed by the Joint Ethics Committee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>information relating to a complaint, proceeding, or record of the Joint Ethics Committee involving a member of the General Assembly if consent to public access and inspection is granted by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the member involved in the matter; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a three–fourths vote of the full membership of the Joint Ethics Committee, based on criteria established by rule;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a rule or broadly applicable opinion issued by the Joint Ethics Committee; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>any matter or record that is otherwise available for public access or inspection as specifically authorized under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Joint Ethics Committee shall provide a copy of a complaint alleging a violation of the antiharassment policy and procedures and a notice of the Joint Ethics Committee’s action to the Human Resources Manager of the Department of Legislative Services.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For information received under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Human Resources Manager shall be subject to the confidentiality restrictions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
