(a) Any person subject to this Chapter or Sections 2-109, 11B-51 or 11B-52(a) may ask the Commission for an advisory opinion on the meaning or application of this Chapter or Sections 2-109, 11B-51 or 11B-52(a) to that person. A supervisor or department head may ask the Commission for an advisory opinion about the meaning or application of this Chapter or Sections 2-109, 11B-51 or 11B-52(a) to the employment-related conduct of any public employee supervised by the supervisor or department head. Unless the subject of the opinion authorizes disclosure, the Commission must keep the names of the requesting party and the subject of the opinion confidential.
(b) The Commission must publish each opinion when it is issued unless the Commission finds that the privacy interest of a public employee or other person clearly and substantially outweighs the public's needs to be informed about Commission actions. The Commission at least annually must publish a list of all unpublished opinions, with the reason why each opinion was not published. The Commission must take all reasonable steps consistent with making the opinion useful for public guidance to keep confidential the identity of any person who is affected by the opinion request. (1990 L.M.C., ch. 21, § 1; 1997 L.M.C., ch. 37, §1.)
Editor’s note-The above section is interpreted in Sugarloaf Citizens Assn. v. Gudis, 319 Md. 558, 573 A.2d 1325 (1990).
See County Attorney Opinion dated 7/8/02 describing the extent to which quasi-judicial officials may engage in political activities.