1. A. Lobbying Activity Reporting Requirements.

   1. (1) Activity Reports Required.

      1. (a) A regulated lobbyist shall file with the Ethics Commission a separate report for each registration disclosing the regulated lobbyist's lobbying activities.
      2. (b) A regulated lobbyist who has no lobbying activity related to an employer specified on a registration during a reporting period shall file a report with the Commission disclosing the lack of activity.
   2. (2) Each report shall be filed electronically and shall be made by verifiable electronic signature in the report and made expressly under penalty of perjury.

   3. (3) Each report shall be filed by:

      1. (a) May 31 of each year, to cover the period from November 1 of the previous year through April 30 of the current year; and
      2. (b) November 30 of each year, to cover the period from May 1 through October 31 of that year.

2. B. Each lobbying activity report required by this section shall include:

   1. (1) A complete, current statement of the information required under Regulation .04B of this chapter;

   2. (2) Total expenditures in connection with influencing executive action or legislative action in each of the following categories:

      1. (a) Total individual regulated lobbyist's compensation, excluding the expenses reported in §B(2)(b)—(l) of this regulation;
      2. (b) Office expenses of the regulated lobbyist;
      3. (c) Professional and technical research and assistance;
      4. (d) Publications that expressly encourage communication with one or more officials or employees;
      5. (e) Witnesses, including the name of each and the fees and expenses paid to each;
      6. (f) Meals and beverages for officials, employees, or members of the immediate families of officials or employees;

      7. (g) If a full and final accounting has not been provided in accordance with Regulation .11 of this chapter in the post-event report, an accurate and final report of food, beverages, and incidental expenses spent on behalf of officials of the Legislative Branch for meals and receptions to which all members of any legislative unit were invited, including the:

         1. (i) Date;
         2. (ii) Location; and
         3. (iii) Total expense of the regulated lobbyist for each meal, reception, event, or meeting;

      8. (h) Food and beverages for members of the General Assembly at the respective times and geographic locations of meetings of legislative organizations, to which meetings those members' attendance at State expense has been approved by the appropriate presiding officer, including the:

         1. (i) Date;
         2. (ii) Location; and
         3. (iii) Total expense for the regulated lobbyist for each meeting;

      9. (i) Food, lodging, and scheduled entertainment for officials and employees at meetings at which the officials and employees were scheduled speakers or scheduled panel participants, including the:

         1. (i) Date;
         2. (ii) Location; and
         3. (iii) Total expense for the regulated lobbyist for each meeting;

      10. (j) Tickets and free admission extended to members of the General Assembly as a courtesy or ceremony to the office to attend charitable, cultural, and political events sponsored or conducted by the reporting entity and to each of which all members of the legislative unit were invited, including the:

          1. (i) Date;
          2. (ii) Location; and
          3. (iii) Total expense of the regulated lobbyist for each event;
      11. (k) Other gifts to or for officials, employees, or members of the immediate families of officials or employees;
      12. (l) Salaries and other expenses paid to staff who were not required to register independently; and
      13. (m) Other expenses.
3. C. If the regulated lobbyist is not an individual, an authorized officer or agent of the regulated lobbyist shall submit the report.
4. D. If a prorated amount is reported as compensation, it shall be labeled as prorated.

5. E. Additional Required Information and Exceptions.

   1. (1) A report required under this section also shall include the name of each official, employee, or member of the immediate family of an official or employee who has benefited from one or more gifts with a cumulative value of $75 during the reporting period from the regulated lobbyist, regardless of whether the gift:

      1. (a) Is attributable to more than one entity; or
      2. (b) Was given in connection with lobbying activity.

   2. (2) The following gifts need not be allocated to individual recipients and reported by name:

      1. (a) Gifts reported under §B(2)(g) and (h) of this regulation;
      2. (b) Gifts reported under §B(2)(i) of this regulation with a value of $200 or less; and
      3. (c) Gifts reported under §B(2)(j) of this regulation, unless the recipient received from the regulated lobbyist during the reporting period two or more of these gifts with a cumulative value of $100 or more.

6. F. Additional Reports from Employers and Regulated Lobbyists, Other Than an Individual.

   1. (1) If the employer or regulated lobbyist, other than an individual, is organized and operated for the primary purpose of attempting to influence legislative action or executive action, the employer or regulated lobbyist shall report the name and permanent address of each person that provided at least 5 percent of the regulated lobbyist's total receipts during the preceding 12 months.
   2. (2) For the purpose of the reporting and registration requirements of this chapter, receipts of the employer or regulated lobbyist subject to this chapter include funds spent on the employer's or regulated lobbyist's behalf, at its direction, or in its name.

Authority: General Provisions Article, §5-206 and Title 5, Subtitle 7, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date:

Regulations .01—.17 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 31, 2002 (29:20 Md. R. 1584); adopted permanently effective January 20, 2003 (30:1 Md. R. 27)

Regulation .01C amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .03 amended effective May 25, 2015 (42:10 Md. R. 685)

Regulation .04 amended effective May 25, 2015 (42:10 Md. R. 685)

Regulation .04A, E amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .04D amended effective January 16, 2017 (44:1 Md. R. 12)

Regulation .06A amended effective January 16, 2017 (44:1 Md. R. 12); November 23, 2017 (44:23 Md. R. 1079)

Regulation .06A, C amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .07 amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .07A amended effective October 15, 2012 (39:20 Md. R. 1309)

Regulation .07B amended effective January 16, 2017 (44:1 Md. R. 12)

Regulation .08C amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .08F amended effective January 16, 2017 (44:1 Md. R. 12)

Regulation .09E adopted effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .10C amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .11 amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .12 amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .14 amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .16M, N amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .16O adopted effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 520)

Regulation .18 adopted effective May 25, 2015 (42:10 Md. R. 686)