January 4, 2018 •
Ask The Experts – Ride-Along Exception
Q. I’m an in-house lobbyist planning to meet with California legislators to influence state government action. If I go to the meeting accompanied by a registered lobbyist, isn’t my time at the meeting exempt from counting toward the lobbyist registration threshold under the “ride-along” exception?
A. That depends. The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) amended its regulations in 2016 to narrow the so-called “ride-along” exception. The exception is now only available to in-house employees who act as “subject matter experts” in communicating with California government officials while accompanied by a registered lobbyist employed or retained by their employer. If the exception does not apply to your circumstances, you must…
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