On November 17, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider proposed regulations to make biennial cost of living adjustments to campaign contribution and gift limits that will apply from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018.

The proposed regulations would change the gift limit from $460 to $470 and make increases to campaign contribution limits.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposals until November 15, 2016.

Here is our October/November calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

October 3   Akron Roundtable 40th Anniversary Celebration Dinner, Akron, Ohio

October 19-21   Public Affairs Council Fall Board Meeting, Laguna Beach, California

October 20   Akron Roundtable, Akron, Ohio

November 10   Professional Women in Advocacy Conference, Washington, DC

November 16-18   NABPAC Biennial Post-Election Conference, Breakers Palm Beach, Florida

November 19-22   SGAC Leaders’ Policy Conference, Dana Point, California

The first reports under the Fair Political Practices Commission’s new amended reporting requirements for “other payments to influence legislative or administrative action” are due October 31.

The third quarter report covers the period of July 1 to September 30, 2016.

Lobbyist employers and persons spending $5,000 or more to influence legislative or administrative action will need to itemize “other payments to influence legislative or administrative action” using the new Form 640.

West Virginia’s special session adjourned sine die on September 20, 2016.

Lawmakers approved a bill allocating $85 million for flood relief and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed the bill yesterday.

Flood recovery is estimated to cost $339 million, with Federal Emergency Management Agency covering the majority of those costs.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin called a special legislative session that began September 18, 2016.

The session is expected to run through September 20 and is limited in scope to the issue of authorizing funds to cover flood recovery costs.

This is West Virginia’s second special session held in 2016.

On October 20, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider a proposed regulation to provide further direction on how nonprofit organizations should report donor names relating to travel payments.

The proposed regulation would create Form 807 for the purpose of disclosing donor information of nonprofits that regularly organize and host travel for elected officials.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposal until October 18, 2016.

On August 31, the California Legislature adjourned its regular session.

Before adjourning, the Legislature sent several ethics bills to Gov. Jerry Brown, including Senate Bill 215, which contains provisions requiring those seeking to influence actions taken by the Public Utilities Commission to register as a lobbyists.

Brown has until September 30 to sign or veto legislation.

A special election has been set for November 8, 2016, to temporarily fill the seat of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah.

The 2nd Congressional District seat was vacated when Fattah resigned after being convicted in federal court on 22 counts, including money laundering, bribery, and fraud.

The winner of the special election, held on the same day as the general election, will hold the seat for exactly eight weeks before the 115th Congress is sworn in on January 3.

A special primary election will be held on September 13, 2016, to fill a general election ballot vacancy for Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.

Democratic nominee Corey Foister withdrew from the race to pursue an out-of-state opportunity he said he couldn’t pass up.

Steven Fought, a former congressional staffer from Toledo, was the only Democrat to file for the special election ballot. In November, he will challenge recently elected Republican U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson for the seat in former House Speaker John Boehner’s district. Davidson won a June 7 special election to complete Boehner’s term and is seeking a full term in November.

Elysabethe Anderson is an art history and visual communications & design major at Kent State University, with an expected graduation date of May 2017. Her hobbies include cycling, gardening, cooking, reading, and adventure.

Elysabethe was an exchange student in the Czech Republic for a year while in high school. One of the most memorable moments on that trip was when she took the train into Prague to visit the Natural History Museum in Saint Wenceslas Square.

After her graduation from Kent State University, Elysabethe plans on taking a year off from higher education before returning to pursue a master’s in printmaking at the Chicago Institute of Art. She would then like to move to Telluride, Colorado to study bookbinding and preservation at the American Academy of Bookbinding. She aspires to open a bookstore and illustrate children’s books

Elysabethe would describe herself as an “extroverted introvert” and values honesty, patience, and curiosity.

This summer, Elysabethe wants to drive to Pennsylvania to camp in the mountains, take a trip to a star preserve to sleep, star gaze, and read, to visit Canada, and to attend as many concerts as possible.

“If of thou fortune be bereft,

And in thy store two loaves are left.

Sell one, and with the dole,

Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.”

Untitled, John Greenleaf Whittier

“Cause when your pockets line with dollar bills, your heart forgets to eat.”

City in a Bottle, Shakey Graves

Chris Jackson is a student at the University of Akron studying communication systems. His hobbies include fitness, playing and making video games, and music.

This internship symbolizes a new beginning for Chris, a gateway to success and the beginning of a new path. He is pursuing it with vigor! His future plans include building and owning an arcade and learning a new language.

Chris considers himself to be a creative person who is full of life and values humor, strength, creativity, wisdom, and respect and love for others and self. This summer, his plan is to learn how to read music and play piano.

Something his brother told him has stuck with him: “If not? Why not. Whatever it takes.”

Here is another favorite quote: “Cowards die many times before their deaths” -Julius Caesar

Dan Gluck is the new executive director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission. Gluck served as legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii before being unanimously selected by the commission. He replaces Les Kondo, who was appointed by the state Legislature to serve as state auditor.

The Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council has a new executive director.

The General Assembly has appointed Stewart Petoe, an attorney from the state’s crime commission, to fill the position left vacant since May. Chris Piper, Petoe’s successor, left after Republican leadership stated they would not confirm Piper because he is not an attorney.

The Council issues advisory opinions and informal guidance on ethics issues and is in charge of collecting financial disclosures from public officials and lobbyists.

State and Federal Communications, the industry expert in providing government compliance information and consulting to many Fortune 500 companies, has developed a new ‘User’s Guide to National Party Conventions’ to provide organizations and convention participants with comprehensive compliance advice and guidelines to navigate the national party conventions. The publication is being offered free to any interested person after registering their inquiry on the company’s website at http://www.stateandfed.com/conventions/

The firm’s staff of attorneys and researchers has expertise in state, federal, and municipal laws regarding lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying. They have teamed together to prepare the new User’s Guide in advance of this year’s Republican National Convention being held in Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena from July 18-21, 2016, and also the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center and Pennsylvania Convention Center from July 25-July 28, 2016.

Each convention operates to nominate a Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate for that party. These conventions are a gathering place for delegates and party members from across the United States, providing an excellent opportunity for organizations and individuals to interface and network with a wide range of public officials. Therefore, knowledge of the applicable federal, state, and local rules governing interactions and gift giving with both convention delegates and other public officials in attendance is of vital importance. The User’s Guide explains and details state-by-state jurisdiction permissibility of gifts to delegates and attendees who are public officials. It also informs readers of the different political leaders and attendees that will be at the conventions, including their roles, and the contribution rules that apply.

According to Ms. Elizabeth Z. Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, based in Akron, Ohio, “Producing the 2016 User’s Guide to National Party Conventions, and offering this free of charge, is our way to give back to the many people involved in our country’s great political system. We want to provide lobbying and compliance information from our vast resources to help everyone stay compliant at these conventions.”

This is the third edition of the State and Federal Communications User’s Guide to National Party Conventions. Previous issues were produced in 2012 and 2008.

Ms. Bartz adds, “We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know and act correctly about what gifts can be given, to avoid potential ethics problems and unexpected fines at the conventions.”

For more information and to receive the free ‘User’s Guide to National Party Conventions’ please visit: http://www.stateandfed.com/conventions/