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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-705" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Lobbying">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A regulated lobbyist shall file electronically with the Ethics Commission, under oath and for each registration, a separate report concerning the regulated lobbyist’s lobbying activities:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>by May 31 of each year, to cover the period from November 1 of the previous year through April 30 of the current year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>by November 30 of each year, to cover the period from May 1 through October 31 of that year.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the regulated lobbyist is not an individual, an authorized officer or agent of the regulated lobbyist shall sign the report.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a prorated amount is reported as compensation, it shall be labeled as prorated.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A report required by this section shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a complete, current statement of the information required under § 5–704(b) of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>total expenditures in connection with influencing executive action or legislative action in each of the following categories:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>total individual regulated lobbyist compensation, excluding expenses reported under this paragraph;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>office expenses of the regulated lobbyist;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>professional and technical research and assistance;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>publications that expressly encourage communication with one or more officials or employees;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>witnesses, including the name of each and the fees and expenses paid to each;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>except as otherwise reported under this paragraph, meals and beverages for officials, employees, or members of the immediate families of officials or employees;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>except as provided in § 5–709(d)(2) of this subtitle, food, beverages, and incidental expenses for officials of the Legislative Branch for meals and receptions to which all members of any legislative unit were invited;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>food and beverages for members of the General Assembly at the times and geographic locations of meetings of legislative organizations, as allowed under § 5–505(c)(2)(i)4 of this title;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ix">
        <text>food, lodging, and scheduled entertainment for officials and employees at meetings at which the officials and employees were scheduled speakers or scheduled panel participants;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="x">
        <text>tickets and free admission extended to members of the General Assembly, as a courtesy or ceremony to the office, to attend charitable, cultural, or political events sponsored or conducted by the reporting entity, as allowed under § 5–505(c)(2)(viii) of this title;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xi">
        <text>other gifts to or for officials, employees, or members of the immediate families of officials or employees; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xii">
        <text>other expenses; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>as to expenditures reported in item (2)(vii), (viii), (ix), and (x) of this subsection, the date, location, and total expense of the regulated lobbyist for each meal, reception, event, or meeting.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a report required under this section also shall include the name of each official, employee, or member of the immediate family of an official or employee who has benefited from one or more gifts with a cumulative value of $75 during the reporting period from the regulated lobbyist, regardless of whether the gift:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is attributable to more than one entity; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>was given in connection with lobbying activity.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The following gifts need not be allocated to individual recipients and reported by name:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>gifts reported under subsection (b)(2)(vii) and (viii) of this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>gifts reported under subsection (b)(2)(ix) of this section with a value of $200 or less; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>gifts reported under subsection (b)(2)(x) of this section, unless the recipient received from the regulated lobbyist during the reporting period two or more such gifts with a cumulative value of at least $100.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies only to a regulated lobbyist, other than an individual, that is organized and operated for the primary purpose of attempting to influence legislative action or executive action.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In addition to the other reports required under this section, a regulated lobbyist shall report the name and permanent address of each entity that provided at least 5% of the regulated lobbyist’s total receipts during the preceding 12 months.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For the purpose of the reporting and registration requirements of this subtitle, receipts of a regulated lobbyist include funds spent on the regulated lobbyist’s behalf, at its direction, or in its name.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
