Public Utilities (GPU) — Title 19. Ethics
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Subtitle 1
In this title, “Board” means the Board of Ethics established by the Commission under regulations adopted in accordance with Title 5, Subtitle 8, Part IV of the General Provisions Article.
(a)
Except where provisions of this title exceed the minimum standards of the Maryland Public Ethics Law, commissioners and employees of the Commission are subject to the conflict of interest and lobbying provisions of the Maryland Public Ethics Law.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a commissioner, employee, contractor, or subcontractor of the Commission may not willfully and knowingly violate:
(1)
any provision of this title;
(2)
the Maryland Public Ethics Law; or
(3)
any Commission regulation governing:
(i)
conflicts of interest;
(ii)
financial disclosure;
(iii)
lobbying; or
(iv)
ethics in public contracting.
(a)
A commissioner shall disclose any conflicts of interest under the Maryland Public Ethics Law at a Commission meeting.
(b)
The commissioner may not participate in any decision or act affected by the conflict of interest.
A commissioner may not attempt to influence a county or State official in the conduct of the official’s duties for a purpose contrary to:
(1)
this title; or
(2)
the Maryland Public Ethics Law.
(a)
A commissioner or employee of the Commission who receives an ex parte communication that concerns a case where a determination or decision is required by law to be made only after a public hearing for interested parties shall make the ex parte communication public and part of the record of the proceeding.
(b)
A commissioner or employee of the Commission who receives an ex parte communication that concerns the merits of a case where the commissioner’s or employee’s determination or decision is required by law to be made only after a public hearing for interested parties shall:
(1)
note the substance of an oral ex parte communication for the record; and
(2)
place the substance of a written ex parte communication on the record.
(a)
The Board and its counsel each may:
(1)
administer oaths; and
(2)
issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses to testify or to produce other evidence.
(b)
A subpoena issued under this section may be enforced judicially.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Commission code of ethics, judicial enforcement under this section in the investigation of a complaint alleging improper disclosure of confidential information shall apply only to information that is subject to denial of a request for information under the Maryland Public Information Act.
(b)
If a respondent is required to file a financial disclosure statement, for each financial disclosure statement found to have been filed late, the respondent shall pay a fee of $5 for each day the filing is late, not to exceed a total of $500.
(c)
(1)
A respondent aggrieved by a final order of the Board may seek judicial review as provided under Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.
(2)
(i)
Unless the Board and the respondent mutually agree otherwise, an order of the Board is stayed until the time for seeking judicial review expires.
(ii)
If a timely appeal is filed, the order is stayed until final disposition by the court.
(3)
The Commission may seek judicial enforcement:
(i)
of an order of the Board; or
(ii)
in accordance with § 19–108 of this title, to ensure compliance with its regulations governing:
(1)
conflicts of interest;
(2)
financial disclosure;
(3)
lobbying; or
(4)
ethics in public contracting.
A court may:
(1)
compel compliance with an order of the Board or Commission regulations governing conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, lobbying, or ethics in public contracting by:
(i)
issuing an order to cease and desist from the violation; or
(ii)
granting other injunctive relief; and
(2)
impose a fine not exceeding $5,000 for a violation of this title or Commission regulations governing conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, lobbying, or ethics in public contracting.