A. 
The prohibitions in this section are applicable to all Public Officials and also apply if the Public Official knows or has reason to know that the Public Official's spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister (including such relationships as may exist by nature of "in-law" or "step") has an Interest that, if held by the Public Official, would be prohibited under Subsection B of this section.
B. 
A Public Official may not participate in any matter involving the County if:
(1) 
The Public Official knows that the Public Official has an Interest in the matter; or
(2) 
Any of the following Business Entities are involved in the matter:
(a) 
A Business Entity in which the Public Official has a direct Interest of which the Public Official may be reasonably expected to know;
(b) 
A Business Entity in which the Public Official is an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee;
(c) 
A Business Entity with which the Public Official is negotiating or has any arrangements concerning prospective employment;
(d) 
A Business Entity that is a party to an existing contract with the Public Official, if the contract could reasonably be expected to result in a conflict between the private Interests of the Public Official and the Public Official's official duties;
(e) 
A Business Entity Doing Business With The County, in which a direct Interest is owned by another Business Entity in which the Public Official has a direct Interest if the Public Official may be reasonably expected to know of both direct Interests; or
(f) 
A Business Entity that the Public Official knows to be a creditor or obligee of the Public Official, if, by reason of the debt, the Business Entity is in a position to affect directly and substantially the Interest of the Public Official.
(3) 
A former Lobbyist who becomes a Public Official may not participate in a case, contract, or other specific matter for one calendar year after terminating their local Lobbying registrations if they previously assisted or represented another party in the matter. This subsection shall only apply to board or Commission members or elected officials who receive more than $12,000 of Compensation per year for serving as a Public Official.
[Added 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]
C. 
The prohibitions in Subsection B of this section do not apply to a Public Official:
(1) 
Who is exercising an administrative or ministerial duty if that duty does not affect the disposition or decision with respect to the matter; or
(2) 
Who is acting as authorized by a Commission regulation or advisory opinion.
D. 
Provided that a Public Official who is subject to a conflict or prohibition under Subsection B of this section publicly discloses the nature and circumstances of the conflict or prohibition, the Public Official may participate or act in the matter if:
(1) 
The Public Official is a member of a board or commission that would otherwise be left with less than a quorum;
(2) 
The Public Official is required by law to act or is the only Public Official authorized to act; or
(3) 
The Commission makes a determination that other special circumstances exist to warrant permitting the Public Official to participate.
E. 
With respect to Elected Officials, the procurement prohibitions of § 15-508 of the State Government Article, Title 15, Subtitle 5, of the Annotated Code of Maryland, shall apply.
A. 
Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, a Public Official may not:
(1) 
Be employed by or have an Interest in a Business Entity that:
(a) 
Is subject to the Public Official's authority or the authority of the County agency, board, or commission with which the Public Official is affiliated; or
(b) 
Is negotiating or has entered into a contract with the County agency, board, or commission with which the Public Official is affiliated.
(2) 
Hold another employment relationship that would impair the impartiality or independent judgment of the Public Official; or
(3) 
Be employed by or have an Interest in a Business Entity that is established or created by the County for the purpose of receiving public funds.
B. 
The prohibitions under Subsection A of this section do not apply:
(1) 
If, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter 33, the Public Official discloses the employment or Interest to the Commission and the Commission determines that the employment or Interest does not create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest;
(2) 
To a Public Official who is appointed or elected to a regulatory or licensing board or commission in accordance with a requirement that a member of that regulated industry or profession is appointed or elected to the board or commission;
(3) 
Subject to other provisions of law, to a member of a board or commission with regard to an Interest or employment held at the time of the appointment or election, provided the member publicly discloses at the time of the appointment or election the Interest or employment to the appointing authority and the Commission;
(4) 
In accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission, to a Public Official whose duties are ministerial, if the employment or Interest does not create a conflict of interest; or
(5) 
In the case of a prohibition under Subsection A(3) of this section, if:
(a) 
The Public Official discloses the employment or Interest to the Commission and the County Commissioners before receipt of public funds by the Business Entity; and
(b) 
The Commission determines that the employment or Interest does not create a conflict of interest.
A. 
A Public Official may not Represent a Person in any matter before or involving the County for Compensation.
B. 
Former Public Officials.
(1) 
A former Public Official may not Represent a Person in connection with a County Matter if the County Matter is one in which the former Public Official Significantly Participated as a Public Official.
(2) 
This subsection does not apply to a former Public Official who is representing the state or a political subdivision of the state.
(3) 
A former Elected Official shall not represent or assist for compensation any person before the County Commissioners of Caroline County on a matter of legislative action for a period of one year following leaving office.
A. 
A Public Official may not intentionally use the prestige of his or her office for the private gain of the Public Official or another.
B. 
The performance of usual and customary constituent services does not constitute the use of the prestige of office for a Public Official's private gain or that of another if no additional Compensation is received for performing the constituent services.
C. 
The provision of a job or other reference or favorable comment does not constitute the use of the prestige of office for a Public Official's private gain or that of another if no Compensation or other tangible benefit is received and the reference or comment is not used for advertising, promotional, marketing, or other commercial purpose.
D. 
A Public Official may not directly or indirectly initiate a solicitation for a Person to retain the compensated services of a particular regulated Lobbyist or Lobbying firm.
[Added 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]
E. 
A Public Official, other than an Elected Official, or employee may not use public resources or the title of the Public Official or employee to solicit a contribution as that term is defined in the Election Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
[Added 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]
F. 
An Elected Official may not use public resources to solicit a contribution as that term is defined in the Election Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
[Added 1-12-2021 by Bill No. 2020-3]
A. 
A Public Official shall not solicit a Gift, for his or her own benefit, or for the benefit of another, from any person, including, but not limited to, a regulated Lobbyist.
B. 
A Public Official shall not knowingly accept a Gift, directly or indirectly, from a Person that the Public Official knows or has reason to know:
(1) 
Is Doing Business With The County or with other Public Officials; or
(2) 
Has an Interest that may be substantially and materially affected, in a manner distinguishable from the public generally, by the performance or nonperformance of the Public Official's duties.
C. 
Exceptions.
(1) 
Except as provided in Subsection C(2) of this section, Subsection B of this section, does not apply to:
(a) 
Meals and beverages consumed in the presence of the donor;
(b) 
Ceremonial gifts or awards which have an insignificant monetary value (value less than $20);
(c) 
Unsolicited Gifts of nominal value or trivial items of informational value (value less than $20);
(d) 
Reasonable expenses, including food, travel, lodging, and scheduled entertainment, provided in exchange for a Public Official to attend a meeting and participate in a panel discussion or deliver a speech;
(e) 
Honoraria to the extent that the honorarium falls within one or more of the categories of allowable Gifts as described in this § 33-9.
(f) 
Gifts of tickets or free admission from the Person sponsoring or conducting the event extended to an elected Public Official to attend a charitable, political, or cultural event, if the purpose of this Gift is a courtesy or ceremony regularly extended to the office held by the Public Official;
(g) 
A specific Gift or class of Gifts that the Commission exempts upon a finding, in writing, that acceptance of the Gift or class of Gifts would not be detrimental to the impartial conduct of the business of the County and that the Gift is purely personal and private in nature;
(h) 
Gifts from an individual who is:
[1] 
Related to the Public Official by blood, adoption or marriage;
[2] 
A step-child of the Public Official;
[3] 
A ward of the Public Official; or
[4] 
A financially dependent relative who shares the Public Official's legal residence, or a relative over whose financial affairs the Public Official has legal or actual control.
(2) 
Notwithstanding Subsection C(1) of this subsection, a Public Official may not accept a Gift:
(a) 
That would tend to impair the impartiality and the independent judgment of the Public Official receiving the Gift; or
(b) 
That would give the appearance of impairing the impartiality or the independent judgment of the Public Official; or
(c) 
That the Public Official has reason to believe that the Gift is given for the purpose of impairing the impartiality or the independent judgment of the Public Official.
A. 
A Public Official may not disclose or use confidential information for the Public Official's own economic benefit or for the economic benefit of another if the information is:
(1) 
Acquired by reason of or in connection with the Public Official's position; and
(2) 
Not available to the public.
B. 
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or pursuant to applicable law, a Public Official or former Public Official may not disclose information obtained by reason of or in connection with employment with the County, which information is:
(1) 
Protected by the attorney-client privilege;
(2) 
Confidential as a matter of law;
(3) 
Exempt or prohibited from disclosure under the state law; or
(4) 
Subject to disclosure only by action or approval of a public body and that public body has not agreed to disclose such information.
A. 
This section does not apply to communication with an attorney representing the Board of Zoning Appeals for the purpose of seeking legal advice if the attorney is not a party to the matter.
B. 
A hearing officer, a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals, or an agent acting on behalf of a hearing officer or a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals may not engage in ex parte communication with any Person regarding a matter pending before the hearing officer or Board of Zoning Appeals at any time before disposition of the matter.