The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover almost 300 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients.

In that effort, we have added abridged jurisdictions to our website. These entries, condensed due to the limited number of relevant local laws, provide the core information our clients need for their government relations work.

The new jurisdiction is: Nassau County, New York

The Idaho Legislature adjourned sine die on Friday, March 25, 2016.

Lawmakers agreed to a 7.4 percent increase in the education budget, but did not pass a tax cut proposal or Medicaid expansion.

Photo of the Idaho State Capitol by Maxbatt in Wikimedia Commons.

The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow. We now cover almost 300 municipalities and local governments. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients.

In that effort, we have recently added abridged jurisdictions to our website. These entries, condensed due to the limited number of relevant local laws, provide the core information our clients need for their government relations work.

The new jurisdictions are:

Fairbanks, Alaska

Roanoke, Virginia

San Luis Obispo County, California

The Legislature adjourned sine die on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Before adjourning, lawmakers passed House Bill 155 to require increased lobbyist registration fees and additional public access to lobbyist information.

Gov. Susana Martinez has until April 10 to act on legislation. Any bill failing to reach her desk is now dead.

Photo of the New Mexico State Capitol by Urban on Wikimedia Commons.

The consultation period for review of the Revised Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct has ended.

Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd drafted the revisions and invited comment on the proposed changes to be submitted by December 19, 2014. The changes focus on the relationship between lobbyists and public officials, while removing rules relating to the relationship between lobbyists and clients.

New rules prohibit a lobbyist from lobbying a public official if the lobbyist has campaigned for or has business interests with the public official. New gift regulations hold a lobbyist responsible for giving a gift the public official is not allowed to accept.

Once Shepherd finalizes the revisions, they will be referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics, before being published in the Canada Gazette. The current version of the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct remains in place until the revised code comes into effect.

Image of Canadian Flag by Djameson1983 on Wikimedia Commons.

Governor Jerry Brown has issued a proclamation declaring a special election for Senate District 35 on February 10, 2015.

The primary will be held on December 9, 2014.

The special election became necessary following the resignation of Sen. Roderick D. Wright (D), who was sentenced last week to three months in jail for lying about where he lived when he ran for office.

Attorney General Gary King received more than 33 percent of the vote in a field of five candidates to win the Democratic nomination for governor. King will face a general election match-up with Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Martinez, a former district attorney from Las Cruces, was elected the state’s first female governor and the nation’s first female Hispanic governor in 2010.

King, a former state legislator and son of former Gov. Bruce King, raised about $476,000 for his gubernatorial bid since October. More than half of the contributions were in the form of King’s personal loans to the campaign.

During the same period, Martinez raised more than $2.4 million in campaign contributions.

Gov. Scott Walker issued Executive Order 129, requiring the Legislature to convene a special session to act on legislation regarding the governor’s new “Blueprint for Prosperity.”

Walker’s plan aims to lower income taxes, property taxes, and state withholding income taxes, while investing part of a $911 million surplus in technical colleges.

Walker has already ordered the Department of Revenue to update the income tax withholding and increase workers’ paychecks starting in April.

City Council instructed the city’s lawyers to draft an ordinance increasing the gift limit to $150 for gifts provided by bidders, contractors, and other restricted sources. Currently, people doing business with the city can provide gifts to city officials valued at $100 or less per calendar year.

Recently, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission recommended curtailing gifts to city officials, hoping to boost public confidence in government. The commission’s recommendation would have extended the current ban on gifts from lobbyists to all people with a financial stake in city decisions.

Photo of the Los Angeles City Hall by Brion Vibber on Wikipedia.

The Board of Supervisors has amended campaign finance regulations to require candidates and committees to electronically disclose all contributions of $1,000 or more, whether made during or outside the 90-day election cycle. Effective January 1, 2014, a candidate or political action committee must electronically post details of a contribution within 10 days if the amount meets or exceeds the $1,000 threshold outside an election cycle.

Currently, only contributions of $5,000 or more need to be posted electronically if made outside an election cycle. Contributions of $1,000 or more made during an election cycle will continue to be filed electronically within 24 hours.

The ordinance is expected to comply with Assembly Bill 2452, a new state law allowing local governing bodies to require electronic disclosure for contributions, so long as the locality complies with state regulations.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a referral to request a draft lobbying ordinance in order to improve transparency and accountability in county procurements. County Counsel, Orry Korb, is tasked with reviewing existing lobbying regulations in other localities for drafting purposes. The referral specifically mentions San Jose’s lobbying ordinance as one with a proven track record and able to provide much of the necessary framework and language.

A presentation and consideration of a draft lobbying ordinance will be presented to the Finance and Government Operations Committee before a final version is brought to the full board in December, 2013.

Photo of the Santa Clara Government Center courtesy of Coolcaesar in Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Mike Beebe issued a call to bring the General Assembly into special session to address the health insurance rate increase facing the Public School Employee Plan. The special session will begin Thursday, October 17, and is expected to conclude by the end of the day on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Beebe is confident bipartisan efforts will pass bills designed to stabilize retirement plans for teachers and public school employees.

Photo of the Arkansas State Capitol courtesy of jglazer75 in Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Scott Walker has called a special election to fill a vacancy in the 82nd Assembly District.

The election will be held December 17, 2013.

If more than one candidate files for the seat, a primary election will be held November 19, 2013, the same day as special general elections to fill vacancies in the 21st and 69th Assembly Districts.

Rep. Warwick Sabin has suggested nearly a dozen changes to the state’s ethics and campaign finance laws potentially to be considered during a special session the governor may call to address teacher insurance costs. Sabin proposed the bills in an email to House and Senate members on Wednesday, October 10.

The changes would empower the Ethics Commission to initiate investigations, lower the minimum reporting amount for campaign expenditures from $100 to $50, and require the secretary of state to develop a searchable website for campaign finance records. The bills could only be considered in a special session if Gov. Mike Beebe included them in a proclamation.

Photo of the Arkansas State Capitol courtesy of jglazer75 in Wikimedia Commons.