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<section article="gsf" article_name="State Finance and Procurement" number="14-308" title_number="14" title_name="Preferences" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Minority Business Participation">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person may not:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>fraudulently obtain, hold, or attempt to obtain or hold certification;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>aid another person in performing an act prohibited under item (i) of this paragraph;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>willfully obstruct, impede, or attempt to obstruct or impede a State official or employee investigating the qualifications of a business entity that has requested certification;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>fraudulently obtain, attempt to obtain, or aid another person in fraudulently obtaining or attempting to obtain, public money to which the person is not entitled under this subtitle; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>in any minority business enterprise matter administered under this subtitle:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>willfully falsify, conceal, or cover up a material fact by any scheme or device;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>make a false or fraudulent statement or representation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>use a false writing or document that the person knows to contain a false or fraudulent statement or entry.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided by law, a contractor may not identify a certified minority business enterprise in a bid or proposal and:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>fail to request, receive, or otherwise obtain authorization from the certified minority business enterprise to identify the certified minority business enterprise in its bid or proposal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>fail to notify the certified minority business enterprise before execution of the contract of its inclusion of the bid or proposal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>fail to use the certified minority business enterprise in the performance of the contract; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>pay the certified minority business enterprise solely for the use of its name in the bid or proposal.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A person who violates any provision of this subsection is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person may not make a false statement about whether an entity has certification.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $2,500 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs shall make available a fraud hotline for reporting violations of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
