On October 15, 2018, the Baltimore City Council passed an ethics bill introduced by City Councilman Zeke Cohen.

Ordinance No. 18-0230, also known as the Transparency in Lobbying Act, requires lobbyists to file reports twice a year and affirmatively identify their clients when approaching city government officials. Additionally, any lobbyist violating the act may be banned for a period of three years.

An amendment was adopted delaying the effective date of the reporting provisions. As a result, lobbyists will file the annual report due January 31, 2019.

Following the 2019 annual report, lobbyists will likely report semi-annually beginning with a report due on July 31, 2019. The bill will become effective 90 days from the signature of Mayor Catherine Pugh.

In April, City Councilman Zeke Cohen introduced an ordinance amending the Baltimore City Ethics Code.

Ordinance No. 18-0230 originally required lobbyists to file reports quarterly instead of annually.

At a work session for the bill, the reporting period was amended from quarterly to semi-annual reporting.

The bill was also amended to require a working online portal by June 1, 2019.

If passed, the ordinance will become effective 30 days after it is enacted.

City Councilman Zeke Cohen introduced an ordinance amending the Baltimore City Ethics Code.

Ordinance No. 18-0230 requires lobbyists to file reports quarterly instead of annually. Additionally, the ordinance obligates lobbyists to affirmatively identify themselves as a lobbyist and the person on whose behalf they are lobbying to a public servant.

If passed, the ordinance will become effective 30 days after it is enacted.