Sources for Maryland Administrative Research

Print Sources

COMAR (Code of Maryland Regulations), the topical compilation of Maryland agency regulations currently in force, can be searched by topic or by authorizing statute in the COMAR Deskbook. Another available index is Michie’s Index to the Code of Maryland Regulations. The Maryland Register, the biweekly publication that updates COMAR, has its own print index which appears quarterly.

Electronic Sources

Westlaw:

Westlaw provides the full text of COMAR in the MD-ADC database. Although the text of the Maryland Register is not available, biweekly updates to the Westlaw version of COMAR are scheduled. Also, the MD-REGTXT database contains the full text of proposed and recently adopted rules and regulations.

The Westlaw (and Lexis) versions of COMAR include a disclaimer stating that the electronic version is not considered official text and that "... only the printed version of this text is official, valid, and enforceable under Maryland law."

Westlaw also has various topical databases with coverage of administrative materials in areas such as environment, insurance, and blue sky law.

Lexis:

Lexis provides full text coverage of COMAR [States Legal - U.S. : Maryland : Agency & Administrative Materials: MD - Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR)] and the Maryland Register (States Legal - U.S. : Maryland : Administrative Materials & Regulations : MD - Maryland Register).

Additional administrative materials are available in the following files, all located in the Source Directory path "States Legal - U.S. : Maryland : Administrative Materials":

• MDRGTR (current status and revisions information on Maryland regulations MDPUR (public utilities decisions from courts and the Public Service Commission);
• MDPUC (decisions, opinions, and orders of the Maryland Public Service Commission);
• MDSEC (documents from the Maryland Securities Division).

Internet:

• COMAR Online and the most recent issues of the Maryland Register Online may be searched at Division of State Documents.
• Though not yet extensive in content, Maryland agency information is beginning to appear on the Web. Some agencies provide organizational or procedural information, as well as hearings calendars and the text of recent rulings. One site with extensive links to state agencies, boards and commissions is the Maryland Electronic Capital.

For further information on techniques for locating and updating Maryland agency materials, consult the TMLL Guide to Legal Research, "Locating and Updating Maryland Administrative Materials" and the TMLL Specialty Research Guide, "Maryland Law."