Oklahoma Ethics Commission Reverses Course on Guardian 2.0 Disclosure System

At its meeting on December 19, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission agreed to reinstate and reactivate the deactivated Guardian lobbyist and campaign finance online disclosure system. The commission also agreed to terminate its contract with RFD & Associates, Inc., the contractor responsible for the Guardian 2.0 filing system, and to authorize the Office of Attorney General to pursue remedies for potential legal claims. Lobbyist renewal registrations and campaign finance reporting have been inactive or unable to be submitted online since the launch of Guardian 2.0 in beta earlier this fall. Contacting commission staff is recommended during this transition to ensure registration and reporting compliance at ethics@ethics.ok.gov.

Comply with state and local procurement lobbying rules. Our online guidebooks make it easy to view regulations all in one place. Learn more here.

The Texas Ethics Commission amended, readopted, and repealed certain campaign finance rules regarding contributions and expenditures generally, and as applicable to corporations and labor organizations. These actions are part of a comprehensive review of the Texas Ethics Commission Rules to shorten, simplify, and clarify. The changes include a repeal of the rule amplifying the independent expenditure reporting requirements of a person not acting in concert with another person. The rules also clarify the prohibition on cash contributions over $100 refers to paper currency and coinage. The changes take effect December 31.

Comply with state and local procurement lobbying rules. Our online guidebooks make it easy to view regulations all in one place. Learn more here.

The Colorado Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Unite for Colorado v. Colorado Department of State on the question of what constitutes a major purpose of ballot issue advocacy for purposes of requiring an organization to register and report as an issue committee. At issue was whether the statutory and constitutional legal framework permits regulators to look only at activity related to a single ballot issue or if they may consider an organization’s aggregated activities on multiple ballot issues in determining whether ballot issue advocacy is a major purpose of the organization. The General Assembly amended state statutes in 2022 to provide single and aggregate ballot issue percentage-of-total-spending major purpose thresholds but Unite contends its arguments may nevertheless have implications for the amended law.

Do you know if your activities are defined as lobbying? We do. Take a walkthrough demo of our guidebooks today.

The Utah Legislature concluded its work in the Second Special Session of the 66th Legislature on December 9. Lawmakers repealed House Bill 267, an anti-union law passed earlier this year, to avoid an upcoming referendum vote; passed a bill adjusting qualifying provisions for prospective candidates for the office of U.S. representative in 2026, in consideration of an anticipated appeal of a court decision on congressional district maps; and passed a bill allowing such an appeal directly to the Utah Supreme Court. Other measures passed made election and political district boundary disputes more immediately appealable; and rebuked the judiciary for what the legislative majority believes was encroachment on its constitutional powers.

Monitor your registration thresholds by state, by referring to our easy to navigate online guidebooks. Request a web tour to learn more.

Gov. J. Kevin Stitt ordered a special election to fill the vacancy in House District 92 after Rep. Forrest Bennett resigned to become President of the Oklahoma AFL-CIO. A special primary election will be held on June 16, 2026 and a special runoff election is scheduled for August 25, 2026, if necessary. The special general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, but will be moved up if the primary or runoff election is not needed. The full term for House District 92 is also up for election on the regular 2026 election calendar, and candidates may run on both ballots.

The Utah Legislature anticipates convening in special session on December 9 for the purpose of election system clarity, according to a joint press release issued by the House and Senate. The announcement follows a trial court decision in an ongoing lawsuit on congressional district maps.

Monitor your registration thresholds by state, by referring to our easy to navigate online guidebooks. Request a web tour to learn more.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission approved advancing two rulemaking amendments proposed at the November 13 meeting. Requested revisions to Rule 5.16 would allow a lobbyist principal to provide meals to either chamber of the Legislature during session, rather than only to a committee or subcommittee. Amendments to Rules 5.2 and 5.6, and a repeal of Rule 5.8, would potentially loosen gift restrictions to allow for expenditures on traditional business expenses, such as meals and events, while doing away with the requirement that gifts from lobbyists come only at infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance to the recipient. The commission will also consider issuing a guidance letter on Rule 5.14 to clarify only the actual cost of the food and beverage at an event to which all members of the Legislature are invited needs to be reported. The Ethics Commission will consider the drafted revisions, and public comment, at a hearing on December 19.

Comply with state and local procurement lobbying rules. Our online guidebooks make it easy to view regulations all in one place. Learn more here.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered new dates for the special elections for House District 70 and Senate District 26.  The special primary elections will be held on January 6, 2026, and special runoff elections are scheduled for February 3, 2026, if necessary. The special general elections are set for March 3, 2026. Two trial court judges in separate lawsuits ordered the original dates moved forward and the Arkansas Supreme Court denied the governor’s requests to stay the orders. The new dates were set “with objection” while the cases remain open on appeal. 

Comply with state and local procurement lobbying rules. Our online guidebooks make it easy to view regulations all in one place. Learn more here.

On October 28, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission launched the beta phase of Guardian 2.0, the new online lobbyist and campaign finance disclosure system. During the beta phase, filers may access the system and enter contributions and expenditures as they prepare their required reports.  For the initial phased release, official report submission is temporarily disabled to ensure the accuracy of campaign finance data before it becomes public. Users will have the opportunity to provide direct feedback on the new platform via a dedicated email address, GuardianSupport@ethics.ok.gov. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission will not penalize users for issues tied to system limitations or problems. The deadline for PAC third-quarter reports which became due on October 31 is considered extended a minimum of 30 days or longer, if necessary. Affected entities are being given priority access and support through Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

Do you know if your activities are defined as lobbying? We do. Take a walkthrough demo of our guidebooks today.

City Council called a special election to fill the vacancy in City Council, Place 7 after Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Julie Holmer resigned to launch her campaign for Collin County Commissioner, Precinct 4. The special election date is set for January 31, 2026.

Make sure you understand pay-to-play regulations in your state. See all 50 states and nearly 300 jurisdictions in our online guidebooks. Check them out here.

The New Mexico Legislature adjourned the Second Special Session of the 57th Legislature sine die on November 10. In the one-day session, lawmakers passed a bill appropriating funds for food benefits until mid-January, or until federal SNAP funding is restored if earlier. Judicial security and systems updates were also addressed. This does affect lobbying reporting. The grassroots lobbying report for advertising campaigns will be due on November 25.

Monitor your registration thresholds by state, by referring to our easy to navigate online guidebooks. Request a web tour to learn more.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a special session beginning November 10 to extend state-funded food benefits. The special session is expected to last one day. This does affect lobbying reporting. Expenditures of $500 or more made or incurred by a lobbyist or employer during the special session must be reported within 48 hours. The grassroots lobbying report for advertising campaigns will be due 15 days after the end of the session.

Stay up to date with all state and federal lobbying law. Sign up for our online guidebooks and never miss a compliance law change.

The Louisiana Legislature adjourned the 2025 First Extraordinary Session sine die on October 29. Lawmakers passed bills concerning the spring 2026 elections, including adjusting the spring primary election date from April 18, 2026 to May 16, 2026 and the spring general election date from May 30, 2026 to June 27, 2026. The adjustment has the potential to give legislators more time prior to the elections to consider any congressional map-related action that might follow a future ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court case Louisiana v. Callais. Per the new bills, PACs participating in the election of a candidate for major office in the May 16, 2026 election, excluding a candidate for party primary office, will have until November 20 to file a pre-election report complete through November 7.

Do you know if your activities are defined as lobbying? We do. Take a walkthrough demo of our guidebooks today.

A representative from the Office of Secretary of State testified at a recent meeting of the Legislature’s Special Committee on Campaign Contributions and Transparency. Among the items raised was a legislative proposal to file campaign finance and lobbyist disclosure reports online and directly with the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission instead of through the Office of Secretary of State. Another proposal would have lawmakers repeal a requirement for PACs to report information about sub-vendors in reports of expenditures made directly to vendors. If viewed favorably, these reforms may be taken up for consideration in next year’s legislative session.

Stay up to date with all state and federal lobbying law. Sign up for our online guidebooks and never miss a compliance law change.