SPECIAL BULLETIN
ELECTRONIC FILING FOR LOBBYING REGISTRATION AND REPORTS
Electronic filing for registration, event reports and activity reports
is available and may be accessed through our website or directly at https://lobby.ethics.state.md.us. Whether you have been registered previously
with the State Ethics Commission or are a new filer, you are now able to file
electronically. If you have not received
a Username and Password, click on “Set up Account” and you will be
provided with a Username and Password via email. If you have an account but cannot remember
your Username and/or Password, please call our office and we will provide you
with the information. Once your
registration has been accepted and activated, you will be able to complete
Event forms (Forms 13E and 13F) and Activity Reports (Form 4)
electronically. The reports will no
longer require signature and notarization as your completion of the form and
electronic submission is under oath or affirmation to the same extent as if you
had filed on paper with a notarized form.
The
electronic process is user friendly, and we encourage you to use it.
Lobbying Activity Reports for the period
November 1, 2007 through April 30, 2008 were due by May 31,
2008. There are still several late
activity reports that need to be filed.
LOBBYIST TRAINING:
Public Ethics
Law § 15-205(e) requires regulated lobbyists to attend a training course
provided by the State Ethics Commission at least once in any two-year period during
which the lobbyist has registered with the State Ethics Commission. The following scheduled training will be
conducted at
June
10, 2008: 9:30 am to 11:30 am for basic level training for individuals
who have not previously had the training and 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm for advanced level training for persons who
previously participated in the basic level course
Registration is required because seating is limited to
40 persons. Additional training sessions
have been scheduled for those who are due “Advanced” training and a
notice will be sent shortly. If you are
not sure of your status, please call the office.
Failure
to complete the mandatory training requirement may result in an enforcement
action
with possible sanctions including the issuance of an order of compliance and/or
a public reprimand. Additionally, the
State Ethics Commission may publish on its web site the names of those
individuals who have not completed the mandatory lobbying training.
LOBBYING
TOTALS:
The Commission’s Annual Report includes summary totals for lobbyist compensation, employer spending and special event activity for November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2007. You can access the Annual Report by going back to the home page and clicking on “Annual Reports.:
The summary totals for November 1, 2007
through April 30, 2008 will be available soon.
FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS:
Financial Disclosure Statements for calendar year 2007 were due by April 30, 2008. Filers can submit their form electronically at any time at https://efds.ethics.state.md.us.
REQUESTS
FOR SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT:
The Commission has developed a form (Form No. 25) that
may be used by State employees in situations where approval of secondary
employment is sought from the State Ethics Commission. The form is not required to be used if your
agency has a similar form for approval of secondary employment. If you use the Commission’s form or
your agency’s form, please make sure that a position description is
attached before submitting.
(6/2008)