Ethics is likely to be a large focus of the General Assembly during the 2020 Session. Recently, several elected officials in Maryland have been the subject of investigations over ethics violations. In response legislative leadership and the Governor have both stated their intent to put forth ethics reform proposals, with the Governor electing to include it as the centerpiece of his legislative package. The Governor has declared the 2020 General Assembly Session the "Accountability Session".…

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an opinion saying that unpaid volunteers, even when working for a nonprofit organization and dealing directly with policymakers, cannot be compelled to register as lobbyists. If appealed and considered on a national scale, the ruling could have broad effects on public ethics laws. From an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch : The 6-5 ruling overturned a decision last November by a three-judge panel of the same court.…