Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has submitted technical changes to the General Assembly on the major ethics legislation passed this session, including a change to the effective date of the legislation. The legislation enacts a limit on gifts from lobbyists and […]
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has submitted technical changes to the General Assembly on the major ethics legislation passed this session, including a change to the effective date of the legislation.
The legislation enacts a limit on gifts from lobbyists and principals and increases the frequency for lobbyist filings.
The changes must be approved by the House and Senate before the legislation takes effect.
Photo of Gov. Terry McAuliffe courtesy of Kate Wellington in Wikimedia Commons.
April 8, 2014 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying “Bottom Line” in The Hill. Ottawa, Canada: “City rules allow lobbyists to donate to councillors’ campaigns” by Joanne Chianello in the Ottawa Citizen. Campaign Finance “FEC Publishes New Contribution Limits for 2013-2014” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call. Delaware: […]
Lobbying
“Bottom Line” in The Hill.
Ottawa, Canada: “City rules allow lobbyists to donate to councillors’ campaigns” by Joanne Chianello in the Ottawa Citizen.
Campaign Finance
“FEC Publishes New Contribution Limits for 2013-2014” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call.
Delaware: “Del. lawmakers eye campaign finance bill” by The Associated Press in The Washington Times.
Maine: “Maine rethinking campaign contribution limits after Supreme Court ruling” by Reid Wilson (Washington Post) in the Bangor Daily News.
New York: “NY ethics board tells 4 advocacy groups it won’t shield names of their financial backers” by The Associated Press in The Republic.
Ethics
California: “California lawmakers propose reforms to regain public trust after series of scandals” by Fenit Nirappil (Associated Press) in the Daily Bulletin.
Georgia: “Deal proposes overhaul of Ga. ethics commission” by Phillip Lucas (Associated Press) in The Telegraph.
Georgia: “Another lawsuit from ex-ethics staffer is in the works” by Greg Bluestein in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Pennsylvania: “Pa. Senate committee approves ban on cash gifts” by Amy Worden in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
From the State Legislatures
California: “State lawmakers’ per diem claims topped $1.1M in 2013” by Nick Heynen and Matthew Defour in the Wisconsin State Journal.
Elections
“Report finds states cutting wait times for voters” by Martha T. Moore in USA Today.
April 3, 2014 •
Kentucky Passes Ethics Legislation
Nearing the end of its 2014 session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed significant ethics legislation containing recommendations the Legislative Ethics Commission has requested for years. House Bill 28 prohibits employers of legislative lobbyists and permanent committees from making campaign contributions […]
Nearing the end of its 2014 session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed significant ethics legislation containing recommendations the Legislative Ethics Commission has requested for years. House Bill 28 prohibits employers of legislative lobbyists and permanent committees from making campaign contributions to legislators and candidates for the General Assembly during a regular legislative session. Employers of legislative lobbyists must disclose on their expenditure reports the cost of advertising supporting or opposing legislation during a session of the General Assembly.
The bill also includes the “no cup of coffee rule,” eliminating the exception previously allowing legislative lobbyists to spend up to $100 on food and beverage for a legislator, extends the gift prohibition to legislative candidates, and prohibits legislative lobbyists and their employers from providing out-of-state transportation or lodging for legislators.
The bill awaits signature by Gov. Beshear.
April 2, 2014 •
Pennsylvania House Committee Bans Cash Gifts
The Pennsylvania House Bipartisan Management Committee has adopted an ethics rule banning cash gifts. The rule was imposed in response to the highly publicized sting operation involving four House members who allegedly took cash from a lobbyist. The rule permits […]
The Pennsylvania House Bipartisan Management Committee has adopted an ethics rule banning cash gifts.
The rule was imposed in response to the highly publicized sting operation involving four House members who allegedly took cash from a lobbyist.
The rule permits house members to receive cash from family members and non-lobbyist friends.
Photo of the Pennsylvania State Capitol courtesy of Michael180 on Wikimedia Commons.
March 21, 2014 •
Philadelphia Adopts Dollar Limit on Gifts
Philadelphia passed ethics legislation providing a dollar limit on gifts during its March 20 meeting. The legislation prohibits all city officers and employees from receiving gifts worth more than $99 in a calendar year from any donor, and bans all […]
Philadelphia passed ethics legislation providing a dollar limit on gifts during its March 20 meeting. The legislation prohibits all city officers and employees from receiving gifts worth more than $99 in a calendar year from any donor, and bans all cash gifts.
A number of exceptions are provided, including food and beverage at meetings and non-ticketed receptions.
The bill is expected to be signed by Mayor Nutter. Board of Ethics Executive Director Shane Creamer said the Board will begin working on new gift regulations once the bill is signed.
March 12, 2014 •
Georgia Lawmakers and Lobbyists Work with New Ethics Law
Georgia lawmakers and lobbyists are adapting new gift limits to old reporting methods while the ethics commission attempts to draft rules. House Bill 142 established the first-ever limit on lobbyist spending by capping the value of a gift a lobbyist […]
Georgia lawmakers and lobbyists are adapting new gift limits to old reporting methods while the ethics commission attempts to draft rules. House Bill 142 established the first-ever limit on lobbyist spending by capping the value of a gift a lobbyist could give a lawmaker at $75.
The bill, effective January 1, 2014, has several exceptions including one to remove the $75 cap for any caucus approved by the House or Senate ethics committees.
Once approved as a caucus, the members can accept a gift greater than $75 without everyone in a caucus attending a dinner, so long as the entire group is invited. Even before committee approval, delegations and more traditional caucuses began accepting expensive meals from lobbyists, leaving lobbyists to figure out how to disclose the spending.
The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission is still months away from unveiling rules governing the new ethics law.
March 6, 2014 •
California Lawmakers Proposing Tighter Gift Limits
Lawmakers called a press conference to announce a package of bills to make major upgrades to government accountability rules and practices. Senator Ricardo Lara and Kevin de Leon have filed Senate Bill 1441 through Senate Bill 1444 as spot bills, […]
Lawmakers called a press conference to announce a package of bills to make major upgrades to government accountability rules and practices. Senator Ricardo Lara and Kevin de Leon have filed Senate Bill 1441 through Senate Bill 1444 as spot bills, with the intention to add substantive provisions at a later date.
The bills will include a ban on fundraisers at lobbyists’ homes and a ban on all gifts from lobbyists.
There is also a proposal to lower the current non-lobbyist gift limit of $440 to $200 for state and local officials.
February 25, 2014 •
Philadelphia Gift Ordinance Advances Out of Committee
A proposed ordinance setting a dollar limit for gifts has advanced out of committee. On February 24, the City Council’s Committee on Law and Government voted to submit the bill for Council action. The proposed ordinance prohibits gifts exceeding $99 […]
A proposed ordinance setting a dollar limit for gifts has advanced out of committee. On February 24, the City Council’s Committee on Law and Government voted to submit the bill for Council action.
The proposed ordinance prohibits gifts exceeding $99 per calendar year to any city officials or employees, and bans all cash gifts.
The ordinance could pass as early as next week.
February 10, 2014 •
Hawaii State Ethics Commission Concerned About SB 2423
On February 7, the Senate Committee on Education reviewed testimony from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission regarding its concerns about SB 2423. Introduced in January, the bill authorizes the Department of Education to accept gifts or donations based on criteria […]
On February 7, the Senate Committee on Education reviewed testimony from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission regarding its concerns about SB 2423. Introduced in January, the bill authorizes the Department of Education to accept gifts or donations based on criteria established by the Board of Education. The commission maintains all state agencies and departments should be held to the same standards and codes of conduct; furthermore, it would be unnecessary and imprudent to allow the department to accept gifts contrary to the state ethics code.
SB 2423 also permits schools to participate in charitable fundraising activities in conjunction with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Though perhaps well-intended, the bill is extremely broad and raises numerous concerns in terms of application and oversight.
During its testimony, the commission urged the committee to defer the bill until after the Commission has an opportunity to thoroughly consider the issues involved.
February 5, 2014 •
Orange County, California Board Pursuing FPPC Enforcement
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, February 4, to pursue outsourcing the enforcement of political ethics to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Officials will ask the state Legislature to authorize the FPPC to enforce county ethics ordinances. The […]
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, February 4, to pursue outsourcing the enforcement of political ethics to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Officials will ask the state Legislature to authorize the FPPC to enforce county ethics ordinances.
The unanimous vote was in response to a 2013 grand jury report titled, “A Call for Ethical Standards: Corruption in Orange County.”
Supporters of the approach cite San Bernardino County, which recently contracted with the FPPC to audit county campaigns and to prosecute ethics violations. The grand jury’s proposal would also give an independent authority the power to recommend ordinance changes concerning conflicts of interest, gifts, contract procurement, campaign finance, and lobbying.
January 31, 2014 •
Two New Proposals May Clarify Philadelphia Gift Law
Two proposals in Philadelphia could finally establish a dollar limit on gifts to city employees. The city’s Board of Ethics again revised its proposed gift limit to $50 with an outright ban on cash gifts. The initial proposals allowed for […]
Two proposals in Philadelphia could finally establish a dollar limit on gifts to city employees. The city’s Board of Ethics again revised its proposed gift limit to $50 with an outright ban on cash gifts.
The initial proposals allowed for some measure of cash gifts based on interpretation of city law allowing some cash gifts, enraging ethics watchdogs. After a reinterpretation by the city law department allowing the Board to ban cash gifts, the ban was included in the latest proposal. A final vote on the gift regulation is expected at the Board’s February 19 meeting.
The Philadelphia City Council is also considering a gift measure, allowing city officials and employees to accept gifts up to $99. The Council’s proposal also bans all cash gifts.
If the Council passes the gift law, the Board of Ethics will need to restart work on its gift regulation, as it can only pass regulations interpreting city law and may not impose a stricter limit than established by statute. Either way, the city appears to be on track in providing much needed clarification of its gift law.
January 27, 2014 •
Washington Senate Bill 6414 Mandates Electronic Filing, Public Availability of Reports
Senate Bill 6414, introduced this week by a group of Washington senators led by Senator Joe Fain, requires all reports to be filed electronically. The bill contains several other strictures, including requiring the Public Disclosure Commission to make all filings […]
Senate Bill 6414, introduced this week by a group of Washington senators led by Senator Joe Fain, requires all reports to be filed electronically. The bill contains several other strictures, including requiring the Public Disclosure Commission to make all filings available on its website, mandating each lobbyist or lobbyist’s employer sharing in an expenditure greater than $25 to report the specific dollar amount of his or her share, and requiring all lobbyist filings to include an itemized list of all payments made to a state official, regardless of dollar amount.
Another section of the bill implores the Ethics Board to define the limits of “infrequent occasions” in the context of the acceptance of gifts of food and beverages by public officials from lobbyists. This section of the bill comes after a widely-read report showing the state’s 50 most active lobbyists pampered legislators with meals totaling more than $65,000 over a four-month period.
A final section of the bill allows lobbyists to avoid reporting expenses for a legislator’s food at a meeting with the lobbyist if such expenses were paid by the legislator.
Photo of the interior of the Washington State Capitol courtesy of Eric Hunt on Wikimedia Commons.
January 23, 2014 •
Gift Policy for Utah OLRGC Updated
The gift policy for the Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel has been updated. In the revised Policies and Procedures Manual, gifts having a value over $5 are prohibited. Some gifts are permitted within limited exceptions, including gifts […]
The gift policy for the Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel has been updated. In the revised Policies and Procedures Manual, gifts having a value over $5 are prohibited. Some gifts are permitted within limited exceptions, including gifts not associated with the employee’s position or duties within the office. Additionally, the policy delineates what are permissible expenses for meals, tickets, reimbursements, and gifts when an employee attends a conference, seminar, training session, meeting, site visit, or other similar gathering connected with the employee’s employment.
Photo of the Utah State Capitol courtesy of Robert Cutts on Wikimedia Commons.
January 13, 2014 •
Ethics Bill Introduced in Kentucky
Kentucky could see updates to its legislative ethics code this session. House Bill 3 would amend the state ethics code to include recommendations of the Legislative Ethics Commission, including: Establishing a “no cup of coffee” rule for gifts from lobbyists […]
Kentucky could see updates to its legislative ethics code this session.
House Bill 3 would amend the state ethics code to include recommendations of the Legislative Ethics Commission, including:
- Establishing a “no cup of coffee” rule for gifts from lobbyists and employers to legislators;
- Creating a prohibition on lobbyists and employers paying for out-of-state travel for legislators;
- Including employers of legislative and executive branch lobbyists in the prohibition on campaign contributions during a regular legislative session;
- Requiring the reporting of advertising costs for advertising supporting or opposing legislation; and
- Including legislative candidates in the lobbyist gift prohibition.
The Legislative Ethics Commission has included those recommendations for a number of years in its report to the Legislative Research Commission. The existing ethics law was enacted in 1993.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.