• The Baltimore City Public Ethics Law applies to all City officials and employees.  The Law restricts your participation in certain matters. To determine whether you are required to recuse yourself from a matter (or have a question about any other aspect of the Ethics Law), please contact the Ethics Board by email: ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or by phone: 410-396-7986. 

    As a place to start, take the quiz below for general guidance on whether you can participate in a matter. You can also review the Ethics Law's restrictions on participation by clicking here.

    Note: this quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance.  When in doubt, ask!

  • Example:

    Last year, you lobbied for the expansion of Meadow Park, a City park located next to two empty lots. You were recently were appointed to the Department of Recreation and Parks Advisory Board. The Board will be discussing the expansion of Meadow Park.

  • Example:

    As a DGS procurement employee, you evaluate vendors' bids for contracts with DGS. Your brother's construction company has submitted a bid for a contract, which you would typically review.

  • Example:

    You are a sales manager at the Baltimore Convention Center. Your sister is the principal of a City school that would like to host the senior prom at the Convention Center. Your sister asks you to coordinate a contract between the school and the Baltimore Convention Center.

  • Example:

    You serve on a City grievance board. Your sibling will be representing an employee as their attorney at a grievance hearing.

  • Example:

    You are member on the Board of Municipal & Zoning Appeals ("BMZA"). Your sibling's construction company removed a tree that was protected under the Baltimore Landscape Manual; its removal required DOP approval. BMZA will discuss the City Code violation and potentially issue a citation.

  • Example:

    You own stock in Tech Now, a large company that owns various other companies, including Software Solutions. In the past three years, your dividend income has exceeded $1,000. As a City employee, you would be responsible for negotiating a contract between your agency and Software Solutions.

  • Example:

    As a Department of Planning employee, you are involved in contract negotiations with vendors for an outreach event. The DOP hired a graphic designer to design reusable bags, which will be distributed at the event. The graphic designer and you are both part owners of Print Palooza, a local print shop. You would be involved in negotiating the graphic designer's contract with the DOP.

  • Example:

    You are involved in approving a franchise agreement with Sunshine Hotel. Your brother has a services contract to supply carpet to the Sunshine Hotel chain.

  • Example:

    You are responsible for managing grants for health-related initiatives, including a grant for Midtown Hospital Vaccination Program. You have yet to pay your outstanding medical bills after receiving care at Midtown Hospital.

  • Example:

    You are working on an agreement between your agency and an outside consultant firm to perform data analysis. Your close friend works for the firm. Under the conflict of interest provisions in § 6 of the Ethics Law, you are not required to recuse yourself if your friend is employed by a party to the matter; however, your friend recently told you that the firm has laid off various employees and "really needs this contract."

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter since your ministerial duty does not affect the disposition of or any decision relating to the matter involved. § 6-7(b).

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter if you were appointed to a regulatory or licensing unit pursuant to a requirement that persons subject to the jurisdiction of the unit be represented in appointments to it. § 6-13.

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter if you serve as a trustee or director of a business entity doing business with or subject to regulation by the City, as long as the City has an economic or programmatic interest in the entity and:

    (i) you serve on the entity as a part of your official duties, at the direction of your agency;
    (ii) you receive no fee, salary, or other remuneration for your service; and
    (iii) you do not participate in any matter in which you or a disqualifying relative has a financial interest. § 6-9.

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter if your disqualification from the matter would leave a board or other body with less than a quorum capable of acting. § 6-8(1). If this is the case, you must:

    (i) publicly disclose, before participating, to that board or other body the nature and circumstances of the conflict.
    (ii) as soon as possible after participating, file with the Ethics Board and your appointing authority a written notice of the nature and circumstances of the conflict and the participation. § 6-8(b).

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter if you are required by law to act. § 6-8(2). If this is the case, you must:

    (i) publicly disclose, before participating, to that board or other body the nature and circumstances of the conflict.
    (ii) as soon as possible after participating, file with the Ethics Board and your appointing authority a written notice of the nature and circumstances of the conflict and the participation. § 6-8(b).

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    You are not required to recuse yourself from the matter if you are the only individual authorized to act. § 6-8(3). If this is the case, you must:

    (i) publicly disclose, before participating, to that board or other body the nature and circumstances of the conflict.
    (ii) as soon as possible after participating, file with the Ethics Board and your appointing authority a written notice of the nature and circumstances of the conflict and the participation. § 6-8(b).

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • RECUSAL REQUIRED

    You may not participate in a case, contract, or other specific matter as an official for 1 calendar year after the termination of the your lobbyist registration if you previously assisted or represented another party for compensation in that case, contract, or other specific matter. § 6-6.1.

    This quiz does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance. Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • Recusal Not Required

    Based on the information you provided, you are not required to recuse yourself from the matter. This quiz serves as general guidance and does not take the place of asking the Ethics Board for guidance.

    Do not hesitate to contact the Ethics Board staff to discuss the matter and for further clarification of the Ethics Law. You can reach Board staff by sending a message below, emailing ethics@baltimorecity.gov, or calling 410-396-7986.

  • "Business entity" is any person* or organization engaged in business or other organized activity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit." § 2-4.

  • "Disqualifying relative," as applied to an individual, means that individual's spouse, parent, child or sibling. § 6-1.

  • "Interest" means any legal or equitable economic interest held in whole or in part, by yourself or with someone else, directly or indirectly, regardless of any encumbrance or condition.§ 2-19.

    "Interest" does not include insurance policies, publicly-traded mutual funds, pension/retirement plans, or tuition plans. To review additional exceptions, ask the Ethics Board or review § 2-19 of the Ethics Law.

  • A "person" is any individual; partnership, firm, association, corporation or other entity of any kind; receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, or representative of any kind; or governmental entity or instrumentality. § 2-22.

  • “Financial interest” means ownership of more than 3% of a business entity; securities of any kind that represent or are convertible into ownership of more than 3% of a
    business entity; or any interest as the result of which the owner:

    (i) received more than $1,000 in any 1 of the preceding 3 calendar years; or

    (ii) is entitled to receive more than $1,000 in the current or any subsequent calendar year.§ 2-16.

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