Seattle City Council Votes to Require Registration and Disclosure by Public Lobbying Groups

City Council approved an ordinance requiring additional transparency and disclosures by paid lobbyists and indirect lobbying campaigns.

The vote was 8-1.

This new legislation adds the concept of indirect lobbying to the city’s lobbying regulations, which has been part of Washington state law since 1973.

Indirect lobbying requirements will now apply to lobbyists, those who hire them, or organizations taking out ads to influence members of the public, and encourage members of the public to lobby their elected officials on legislation.

Individuals behind a group will now be required to identify themselves, their contractors, and donors for contributions of $25 or more.

The group will also be required to describe its purpose and record spending in monthly reports.

If approved by the Mayor, the rules will become effective in 180 days.

The Seattle City Council is scheduled to vote Monday afternoon on a new ordinance.

The ordinance’s rules are meant to shine a light on groups spending money to build public pressure on Seattle politicians.

Recommended in January by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, the rules would apply to groups spending at least $750 in a month or $1,500 in three months on presenting a program to the public to affect legislation.

The individuals behind a group would need to identify themselves, their contractors, and donors for contributions of $25 or more.

The group also would be required to describe its purpose and record spending on monthly reports.

The threshold amount a lobbyist can earn to trigger lobbyist registration in Montana will increase.

The Montana Commissioner of Political Practices received approval for this increase to take place.

The threshold amount for 2021 is $2,650, effective January 1, 2021.

The Alaskan Independence Party and two Anchorage residents are suing the state of Alaska to overturn Ballot Measure 2.

This ballot measure is a sweeping election reform initiative installing ranked-choice voting in Alaska’s general elections.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims the measure would violate the rights to free political association, free speech, petition, due process and other rights guaranteed by the Alaska and U.S. constitutions.

Filed against the state of Alaska and the Alaska Division of Elections, the lawsuit requests the measure be nullified and not be used in future elections.

Campbell County commissioners appointed Chris Knapp to fill a vacant House seat after Gillette Republican Rep. Roy Edwards died from COVID-19 on November 2.

The commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to appoint Knapp to the House District 53 seat at a special meeting.

Knapp was one of three finalists interviewed during the meeting.

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) adopted cost of living adjustment regulations amending contribution limits and gift limit amounts.

The newly adjusted contribution limit in effect for candidates for the Senate or Assembly and candidates for elected seats to the Board of Administration of the Public Employees Retirement System for an election occurring during the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022 is now $4,900 per person.

The newly adjusted annual gift limit amount in effect for the period January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, is $520.

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 on Friday to set campaign contribution limits at $25,000.

Hundreds of community members called in asking the county go with the forthcoming state limit of $4,700.

Opponents of the $25,000 ceiling voiced concerns the higher limit would lead to corruption.

Others argued the county should not make a decision until a replacement for deceased Supervisor Adam Hill is seated.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation limiting campaign contributions to local candidates to $4,700 in cities and counties not having their own contribution limits.

Those limits go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

The $25,000 limit will apply to candidates for 10 county offices, including the five supervisors, the district attorney, and the sheriff.

Lawmakers on Wednesday signaled support in using a provision from the state constitution never before used.

Under the provision, Gov. Kate Brown can declare a catastrophic disaster.

In addition, she can convene a special legislative session under looser rules than lawmakers would normally abide by.

Legislators likely would not be required to appear at the Capitol for such a session, eliminating concerns about spreading the coronavirus.

The House and Senate also could operate without a two-thirds quorum of lawmakers in attendance.

If Gov. Brown does declare a catastrophic emergency, it can only last for 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

A spokesperson for Brown stated the governor is open to holding another special session if legislators can agree to a succinct list of policies addressing Oregonians’ most pressing needs.

Originally reported as defeated, Ballot Measure 2 was approved with 50.5% of the vote reported as of November 17.

The measure will make several changes to the election process, including replacing partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices.

Also, the measure establishes ranked-choice voting for general elections, including the presidential election, in which voters can rank the candidates.

Additionally, Ballot Measure 2 requires persons and entities contributing more than $2,000 derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources (as defined in law) of the political contributions.

The approved system of top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting general elections will be first used in 2022.

This will include the gubernatorial, U.S. House, and a U.S. Senate election in Alaska.

Lawmakers passed a bill calling a statewide special election to be consolidated and held on November 3, 2020.

Senate Bill 300 requires the Office of the Secretary of State to submit various Assembly Constitutional Amendments, including lowering the voting age, wages, elections, and state of emergency procedures, to voters for their approval at the general election if the amendments are passed by the Legislature on or before July 1, 2020.

If signed by the governor, the bill would take effect immediately as an act calling an election.

Oregon’s Legislative Assembly adjourned the first special session of 2020.

During the session lawmakers passed a slew of bills dealing with police accountability and the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawmakers passed 24 bills with more than 600 pieces of public testimony submitted and over 100 virtual testimonies during the three day special session.

At least one other special session may be called this year in order to focus on the state budget.

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) voted to require more transparency and disclosure of those who use limited liability companies (LLC’s) to make political contributions.

Aditionally, they would require campaigns to list the name of the actual person who directed the LLC political spending.

The first new regulation requires LLC’s involved in raising and spending money for political activity to name the person making the decisions.

The second new regulation requires campaigns receiving donations from LLC’s to also list the name of the person responsible for the political activity.

A 2019 FPPC Enforcement Division examination of LLC’s found it was relatively easy to find information about the type of business, its address and an agent for service of process.

However, it was extremely difficult to find the identities of the people behind the LLC’s owners or the true source of the political expenditures.

Gov. Kate Brown has called for a special session of the Oregon Legislature to convene on June 24.

Lawmakers will be addressing issues regarding police accountability, the coronavirus pandemic, children’s education, and jobs.

With social distancing measures still in place, the upcoming special session will be different than what any lawmaker has seen.

The Capitol will generally be closed to the public, however legislators will still be able to get in to do business.

The Alaska Supreme Court unanimously ruled an election reform initiative can appear on the November Ballot.

The court upheld a lower court decision confirming the legality of a proposed ballot measure.

This will be imposing ranked choice voting, nonpartisan primary elections, and tough new rules on campaign finance disclosure.

In August of 2019, Attorney General Kevin Clarkson released an opinion stating the election reform initiative was unconstitutional under the single subject rule.

On his advice, the Division of Elections attempted to block the Better Elections committee from gathering signatures to put the issue on the ballot.

However, Superior Court Judge Yvonne Lamoureux ruled Clarkson’s analysis was incorrect.

Additionally she ordered the state to issue signature booklets and continue the certification process as the state appealed to the Supreme Court.

If approved by voters, the ballot measure would require additional reporting requirements for large donations to political campaigns.