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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-521" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Conflicts of Interest">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The Joint Ethics Committee may make a finding developed from:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>information presented during the hearing;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the allegation summary and any amendments to it;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the written answer of the accused legislator to the allegation summary, if any; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>any other information provided to the Joint Ethics Committee and made available to the accused legislator.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Consistent with the purposes of this title, the Joint Ethics Committee may establish criteria for making a finding in its written procedures established under § 5–520(a) of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If the Joint Ethics Committee makes a finding under this section, the Joint Ethics Committee shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>terminate the proceeding against the accused legislator; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>issue any recommendations to the presiding officer of the house of the accused legislator or to the full house of the accused legislator, including any recommendations for appropriate sanctions.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
