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§ 13-235. Receipt of contributions or fund-raising events during Legislative session prohibited

West's Annotated Code of MarylandElection LawEffective: June 1, 2021

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Election Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 13. Campaign Finance (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 2. Campaign Finance Organization and Activity (Refs & Annos)
Part VI. Contributions--Prohibitions
Effective: June 1, 2021
MD Code, Election Law, § 13-235
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 33, § 13-215
§ 13-235. Receipt of contributions or fund-raising events during Legislative session prohibited
Currentness
Application of section
(a) This section applies to the following officials:
(1) the Governor;
(2) the Lieutenant Governor;
(3) the Attorney General;
(4) the Comptroller; and
(5) a member of the General Assembly.
Contributions or fund-raising events
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), (d), or (e) of this section, during a regular session of the General Assembly an official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a person acting on behalf of the official, may not, as to a candidate for federal, State, or local office, or a campaign finance entity of the candidate or any other campaign finance entity organized under this title and operated in coordination with a candidate:
(1) receive a contribution;
(2) conduct a fund-raising event;
(3) solicit a contribution; or
(4) deposit or use any contribution of money that was not deposited prior to the session.
Candidates for federal or local government office
(c) An official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a person acting on behalf of the official, is not subject to this section when engaged in activities solely related to the official's election to an elective federal or local office for which the official is a filed candidate.
Contributions from Fair Campaign Financing Fund
(d) Under the Public Financing Act,1 a gubernatorial ticket, during the year of the election only, may accept eligible private contributions and any disbursement of funds by the State Board that is based on the eligible private contributions.
Contributions deposited during legislative session
(e) An official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a person acting on behalf of the official, may deposit a contribution during the legislative session if the contribution was made electronically before the start of the session.
Fines and penalties
(f)(1) As to a violation of this section, the campaign finance entity of the official in violation is liable for a civil penalty as provided in § 13-604.1 of this title.
(2) A civil penalty imposed under this subsection shall be distributed to the Fair Campaign Financing Fund established under § 15-103 of this article.

Credits

Added by Acts 2002, c. 291, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. Amended by Acts 2003, c. 380, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2003; Acts 2013, c. 419, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Acts 2015, c. 312, § 1, eff. July 1, 2015; Acts 2016, c. 202, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2016, c. 203, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2021, c. 733, § 1, eff. June 1, 2021.
Formerly Art. 33, § 13-215.

Footnotes

1
Election Law, § 15-101 et seq.
MD Code, Election Law, § 13-235, MD ELEC LAW § 13-235
Current through legislation effective through May 9, 2024, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document