1. (a) This section applies to the following officials:

   1. (1) the Governor;
   2. (2) the Lieutenant Governor;
   3. (3) the Attorney General;
   4. (4) the Comptroller;
   5. (5) the State Treasurer; and
   6. (6) a member of the General Assembly.

2. (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. (1) receive a contribution;
   2. (2) conduct a fund-raising event;
   3. (3) solicit a contribution; or
   4. (4) deposit or use any contribution of money that was not deposited prior to the session.
3. (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.
4. (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.
5. (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.

6. (f)

   1. (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. (2) A civil penalty imposed under this subsection shall be distributed to the Fair Campaign Financing Fund established under § 15-103 of this article.

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; Acts 2024, c. 655, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2024.

Formerly Art. 33, § 13-215.

Election Law, § 15-101 et seq.