It isn’t everyday someone walks in your doors and stays for 20 years. I am not talking about my husband or my pets…Nola Werren entered State and Federal Communications and has found a home, which has been fabulous for the company and our clients.

Twenty years ago, I sent letters to attorneys all over Akron looking for an attorney who did not want to practice. The letter made its way to a University of Akron Law School professor who forwarded it to Nola. She has held a lot of different titles at State and Federal Communications, and all have been handled with the love and care only Nola can provide. She leaves no stone unturned in her work.

Nola was recognized for her tenure with a companywide party on May 26. The video tributes from her colleagues are hilarious. Check them out here to see how much she is adored.

Nola is the company’s first employee to reach this milestone…and there are others closely behind. It fills my heart knowing people have the confidence to work for a small business owner.

I cannot thank her enough for sticking with us through thick and thin and building up the company to what it is today…And, I look forward to her contributions for our future.

Thank you, Nola.

The Phoenix City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to give final approval to the city’s lobbying ordinance overhaul.

Under the amended rules, lobbyists not filing required registration or disclosure forms can face sanctions, including fines of up to $2,500, suspension from lobbying and jail time.

The ordinance also requires lobbyists to disclose to city officials whom they contact if they are working in a capacity as a lobbyist and expands covered officials that trigger registration.

The ordinance will take effect July 1, 2017.

The Alaska Legislature is still at work trying to pass a budget bill to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit.

Alaska faces a government shutdown if a budget is not adopted by July 1, and the governor’s administration already sent 30-day layoff warnings to state employees.

Because the legislative session is extending into the month of June, an additional monthly expenditure report for registered legislative lobbyists will be due on July 31, 2017.

On May 31, legislation was introduced in the Federal Parliament of Canada to increase transparency concerning political fundraising events.

House Government Bill C-50 requires a five-day advance notice of fundraisers where the admission price is $200 or more. A regulated fundraising event does not include a convention, including leadership conventions, of a registered party or a leadership contestants’ debate. The bill requires political parties file itemized reports to Elections Canada within 30 days of a fundraiser, including information such as the attendants’ names and amounts contributed. If a regulated fundraising event is organized entirely by persons or entities other than a registered party, the person or entity must provide the attendants and donation information to the registered party in time for the registered party to make its report.

The bill’s regulations would not apply if a fundraiser takes place during the election period of a general election.

Gov. Larry Hogan signed House Bills 390 and 426 into law. Both bills amend the procurement code.

House Bill 390 requires business to file a public disclosure form if, during a calendar year, a business enters into contracts, leases, or other agreements with the state worth $200,000 or more.

House Bill 426 amends the dollar value of small procurements from $25,000 to $50,000.

Both bills will become effective on October 1, 2017.

The first special session of the 2017 New Mexico Legislature adjourned sine die on May 30, 2017.

Gov. Susana Martinez signed legislation reinstating funding for higher education and vetoed a bill raising taxes.

Both the House and Senate were in session for less than one hour.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. is upping our green-game with help and guidance from Downtown Akron Partnership and the City of Akron. We recently began a program that will allow us to participate in the city’s single-stream recycling program for not only cans and cardboard, but for bottles, cartons, cups, and many other items generated in our workplace environment!

State and Federal Communications has always taken seriously the proper disposal and recycling of our business-related electronics, batteries, legacy fluorescent bulbs, and mountains of shipping cardboard and paper; proudly reporting over 3 tons of recycled materials to Summit County ReWorks for the 2016 calendar year!

By expanding our own program and coordinating with Akron community partners, we step closer to achieving our company and employee goals of being better stewards. Many employee-generated items within the office can now be processed for collection by the city within their single-stream recycling program.

The Downtown Akron Partnership program, working with the City of Akron and others, provides resources within our downtown district to promote and build a vibrant and valuable downtown. We are proud to be part of this great community!

Gov. Kim Reynolds has been sworn in as Iowa’s 43^rd governor.

Reynolds filled the vacancy left by former Gov. Terry Branstad’s ambassadorship to China.

Reynolds will serve as governor through the end of 2018.

Photo of Gov. Kim Reynolds from the Iowa Governors website.

The first special session of 2017, adjourned sine die around 3:00 a.m., on May 26, 2017.

Lawmakers passed a public works package and other pieces of the budget.

Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to sign all of the legislation passed during the special session.

On May 23, Rep. Mitch Greenlick introduced House Joint Resolution 32, proposing a ballot measure to impose a $500 limit on political contributions from any organization that gets more than half of its funding from public sources.

HJR 32 seeks to limit influence from Medicaid providers that profit from the Oregon Health Plan while making large political contributions to lawmakers.

Under current law, organizations may make unlimited contributions and expenditures to candidates and political committees.

See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!

On May 23, the Washington Legislature adjourned its first special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for a second 30-day special session to start immediately after adjournment.

A two-year operating budget needs signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.

The Phoenix City Council voted this week to amend the city’s lobbying ordinance to create sanctions for those who don’t comply with the lobbyist registration or expense disclosure rules.

Current city code includes no punishment for those who ignore the rules. The amendments will also include a clarification and expansion of the term lobbying to include city executives, department directors, the city manager and his top staffers, and board and commission members.

The strengthened rules raise fines and increase the amount of time lobbyists could be suspended from contacting city officials. Phoenix’s lobbying rules are currently unenforceable.

City Council will vote in the coming weeks to finalize the changes.

The Missouri Ethics Commission recently issued a campaign finance advisory opinion differentiating between political parties and political party committees for the application and enforcement of voter approved contribution limits.

The $25,000 aggregate limit on contributions to a political party does not apply to contributions to a political party committee unless the committee is, by definition, organized to influence voters on behalf of the affiliated political party.

The aggregate limit will, therefore, not apply to the state House and state Senate committees for each political party because, while they have historically served such a purpose, they do not actually indicate they are acting on behalf of a political party; rather, it is possible they could choose to support or oppose non-party candidates or even ballot issues.