The Commissioners and employees of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission are required to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards in the performance of their official duties. The purpose of the Code of Ethics is to identify those activities which shall be considered unethical for employees to engage in and which are therefore prohibited. The Code of Ethics also establishes an independent Board of Ethics to assist the agency in maintaining the desired ethical standards. To foster public confidence and assist in the administration of the conflict of interest provisions of the Code of Ethics, requirements are established for certain financial disclosure by employees. Commissioners are subject to the Maryland Public Ethics Law under the General Provisions Article, Title 5, Annotated Code of Maryland, and specific ethics provisions in the Public Utilities Article, Title 19, Annotated Code of Maryland. Commissioners are subject to these regulations only as expressly provided herein. Registration and disclosure requirements are also established for persons or entities lobbying WSSC as required under state law. (Res. 2003-1669 § 1(1-1))