File a Financial Disclosure Statement

View definitions for the terms used in the financial disclosure statements.

• Business Entity—An entity of any form, whether or not operated for profit. “Business entity” includes a corporation, partnership, limited liability partnership, joint stock association, limited liability company, professional service corporation, sole proprietorship, joint venture, unincorporated association or firm, institution, trust, foundation, or any other entity recognized under any applicable law. “Business entity” does not include a governmental entity.
• Commission—The Baltimore County Ethics Commission established under Article 3, Title 3 of the Baltimore County Code, 2015.
• Compensation—Consideration given, or to be given, regardless of form, to a person subject to this title from an employer for services rendered.
• Doing Business with the County—Having, bidding on, or negotiating, or reasonably anticipating having, bidding on, or negotiating a contract or combination of contracts involving the commitment of $5,000 or more in the aggregate of County or County-controlled funds; Being regulated by or otherwise under the authority of an entity, agency, or department of a public official; or Being subject to registration as a lobbyist in accordance with Article 7, Title 1, Subtitle 5 of the Baltimore County Code (2015).
• Financial Interest—Ownership of an interest as the result of which the owner has received within the past three years, is currently receiving, or in the future is entitled to receive a cumulative total or more than $1,000; or Ownership of more than three percent of a business entity by: a public official; or the spouse of a public official; or Ownership of securities of any kind that represent, or are convertible into, ownership of more than three percent of a business entity by: a public official; or the spouse of a public official.
• Gift—The transfer of a thing of economic value, in any form, without adequate and lawful consideration. “Gift” does not include the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of political campaign contributions regulated by the Maryland Fair Election Practices Act, or any other provisions of state or local law regulating the conduct of elections or political campaign contributions.
• Honorarium—The payment of money or anything of value for: speaking to, participating in or attending a meeting or other function; or writing an article that has been or intended to be published. “Honorarium” does not include payment for writing a book that has been or is intended to be published.
• Immediate Family—A spouse and dependent children.
• Interest—A legal or equitable interest, whether or not subject to an encumbrance or a condition, which is owned or held by a person subject to Article 7, Title 1 of the Baltimore County Code, 2015 in any way, in whole or in part, jointly or severally directly or indirectly. “Interest” does not include:
  • Interest held by a person acting in the capacity of a personal representative, agent, custodian, fiduciary, or trustee, unless the person has an equitable interest in the subject matter
  • An interest in a time or demand deposit in a financial institution
  • An interest in an insurance or endowment policy or annuity contract under which an insurer promises to pay a fixed number of dollars either in a lump sum or periodically for life or some other specified period
  • A common trust fund or a trust that forms part of a pension or profit-sharing plan that has more than 25 participants and which has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be a qualified trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954
  • A college savings plan under the Internal Revenue Code
  • A mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that is publicly traded on a national scale unless the mutual fund or exchange traded fund is composed primarily of holdings of stocks and interests in a specific sector or area that is regulated by the individuals governmental unit. “Interest” includes any interest held during the reporting period. (Note: Interest includes a family home)
• Lobbying—Communicating with a public official of the legislative or executive branch of County government, in the presence of that public official, for the purpose of influencing legislative or executive action.
• Lobbyist—A person who engages in lobbying and who, within a reporting period: Communicating in the presence of a public official of the legislative or executive branch of County government, for the purpose of influencing legislative or executive action; or Engaging in activities with the express purpose of soliciting others to communicate with a public official of the legislative or executive branch of the County government for the purpose of influencing legislative or executive action.
• Person—Includes an individual or a business entity.
• Public Official—An employee of the County, including an elected official or an appointed official and an individual elected or appointed to serve on any County board, agency, commission, or similar entity. “Public official” includes an individual listed under paragraph one of this subsection whether or not the individual is compensated or whether or not the individual is compensated with County funds. “Public official” does not include an employee of:
  • Offices of the Sheriff, State’s Attorney, Register of Wills or Clerk of the Court
  • Health Department
  • Department of Social Services
  • Chairman, a member, alternate member, or employee of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners
• Qualified Relative—A spouse, parent, child, brother or sister.
• Reporting Period—The period covered by the Statement. An annual financial disclosure statement covers the calendar year preceding the April 30th filing deadline; thus the report due in 2023 covers the period from and including January 1, 2022, to and including December 31, 2022. A termination statement covers the portion of the current year served by the filer, beginning on January 1st to the last day the position is held.
• Tenants by the Entirety—An undivided equal ownership interest with survivorship rights in real property with one’s spouse