LobbyComply Blog

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three bills into law on July 21, expanding revolving door laws. Public Act 74 expands the current prohibition against lobbying by state legislators who resign during a term of office to apply to all former state legislators for two years after they leave office and applicable to legislators whose term of office begins on or after January 1, 2027. Public Act 75 prohibits a former governor, lieutenant governor, or head of a principal executive branch department whose term of office begins on or after January 1, 2027, from making expenditures for lobbying, or being compensated or reimbursed for lobbying, in an amount requiring registration as a lobbyist agent, for two years after they leave office. Public Act 76 prohibits a currently serving state legislator from being compensated, other than their legislative pay, to lobby legislative or executive officials in other states, the federal government, or any other government.

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Lawmakers passed a bill to include lobbyist employers in the prohibitions against fictitious lobbying practices. Existing law currently prohibits a lobbyist or lobbying firm from attempting to create a fictitious appearance of public favor or disfavor of any proposed legislative or administrative action. A lobbyist or lobbying firm may not cause any communication to be sent to any elected state officer, legislative official, agency official, or state candidate in the name of any fictitious person or in the name of any real person, except with the consent of the real person. Assembly Bill 1736 extends these prohibitions to lobbyist employers and is effective January 1, 2027.

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The New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) is accepting comments on a proposed rulemaking related to the recent statutory increase in lobbyist registration fees. The lobbyist registration fee is increasing from $200 per biennium to $250 per calendar year in COELIG’s regulations. Additionally, lobbyists who fail to complete a registration or pay the annual fee may be subject to civil penalties. COELIG is accepting public comments until September 13.

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On July 15, the Executive Branch Ethics Commission voted to extend the deadline for filing Updated Registration Statements and paying registration fees due to issues with the new online reporting system. This applies to executive branch lobbyists, employers, and real parties in interest. The original deadline of July 31 was extended with no fines being assessed for delayed filing prior to September 30.

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The General Government Budget for 2026-2027 was passed and signed by Gov. Hochul. Included in the budget was an increase to the lobbyist registration fee from $200 to $250. The prorated fee for lobbyist registrations submitted after January 1 of the second calendar year of the biennial period was abolished, making the full $250 fee due with every registration. Additionally, lobbyist training must be completed once every two years and at least once in each biennium, beginning with the next biennium on January 1, 2027.

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During the last County Commission meeting, an ordinance was passed to raise the fee for lobbyist registration from a one-time $25 fee to an annual $200 fee per principal. The county believes the prior fee no longer covers the administrative costs associated with maintaining and administering the Central Lobbyist Registry. The fee can be adjusted at any time but at least every five years to align with the consumer price index. The annual $200 registration fee is scheduled to begin October 1.

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

On June 11, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas disclosed he is working with the city council to establish a registry of lobbyists for the city. The registry would be separate from a proposed provincial code of conduct applicable to local municipal councils announced earlier this year by Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams. The ministry issued a statement to Globalnews.ca that Calgary “is free to advance its own lobbying registry” independent of the province.

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The second regular session of the 103rd General Assembly has concluded except for a technical session on May 28 and the official adjournment sine die on May 30. During the session, lawmakers passed House Bill 1871, requiring all solicitations, except those from a connected organization of a continuing committee, to disclose what percentage of the campaign contribution will be received by the candidate, committee, or any other entity. The bill also requires donations to be one-time unless a donor affirmatively opts into recurring contributions. The bill permits a registered lobbyist to maintain a candidate committee designated to seek election to a county, municipal, or school board office, provided they are not registered to lobby the county, municipality, or school district. Gov. Kehoe must sign or veto legislation within 15 days after transmittal, or it becomes law without his signature with an effective date of August 28.

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Utah Senate Bill 145, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox on March 17, 2026, amends several provisions of the state’s lobbying laws. The changes are effective May 6, 2026, and address procurement lobbying, contingency fee restrictions, university event expenditures, and de minimis gift thresholds.

What Does Utah SB 145 Change?

SB 145 touches four distinct areas of Utah lobbying compliance. Here is a breakdown of each amendment.

Procurement Lobbying Deregulated for Local and Education Entities

SB 145 removes procurement activities from the relevant lobbying definitions that apply to local government lobbying and board of education lobbying. Under the revised definitions, local and education lobbying generally covers legislative and administrative actions, but does not include  adjudicative proceedings and purchasing and contracting decisions.

This change deregulates local and education procurement lobbying, reducing compliance obligations for those communicating with a public official for the purpose of influencing a purchasing and contracting decision  at the local government and board of education level.

Contingency Lobbying Restrictions Extended

Prior Utah law prohibited hiring a lobbyist for compensation contingent, in whole or in part, upon a specific legislative or executive outcome. SB 145 expands these restrictions to also cover local and educational actions.

Under the updated law, incentivized lobbying is prohibited when a lobbyist’s compensation is tied to:

• A government action occurring, or
• The amount appropriated for a government program

Organizations engaging lobbyists in Utah should review existing compensation structures to confirm they remain compliant under the broadened scope. Learn more on our Lobbying Compliance Consulting page

Broader Event Exemptions for University-Sponsored Events

Expenditure reporting will no longer be required for admission, attendance, and travel to or from the following types of events, provided they are hosted by public or nonprofit higher education institutions:

• Recreational events
• Sporting events
• Artistic performances
• Art exhibitions
• Other artistic events

To qualify for the exemption, the event must occur at the institution, and the purpose of the public official’s attendance must be to build a relationship with the institution.

Previously, such attendance offers were only permitted for public colleges and universities as governmental sponsors. The revision extends the exemption to nonprofit higher education institutions as well.

De Minimis Gift Thresholds Increased

SB 145 raises the threshold for de minimis expenditures that lobbyists may make for public officials without triggering reporting requirements:

Item Category	Previous Threshold	New Threshold
Nonfood items	$10	$25
Publications & commemorative items	$30	$50

The adjustment reflects higher costs for such items and responds to the prior thresholds being found overly restrictive in practice.

When Do the Changes Take Effect?

All amendments under Utah SB 145 take effect May 6, 2026.

Lobbyists and their organizations should audit current practices, particularly around contingency compensation structures, to ensure compliance before that date. Lobbyists interested in making larger value expenditures should review the updates to ensure continued compliance.

For jurisdiction-specific guidance, State and Federal Communications maintains regularly updated online compliance guidebooks covering Utah and other states.

Utah Senate Bill 145 FAQs 

Question

I recently began a new position with responsibility for local government relations for my employer. I’ve only previously done state work. What do I need to know?

Answer

Local government lobbying compliance is significantly more fragmented and complex than state-level lobbying, and the differences can catch even experienced state lobbyists off guard. While state lobbying laws tend to follow more standardized frameworks, local lobbying requirements vary widely by jurisdiction, population size, government entity, and even industry.

Local Lobbying Laws Are Not Universal

Unlike state lobbying, some smaller cities, towns, and special districts have no lobbying ordinances. However, the absence of a local ordinance does not necessarily mean that compliance obligations do not exist. In several states, including Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri, state lobbying laws extend to local government activity, requiring lobbyists to register and report with the applicable state agency when engaging with local officials.

In New York, for example, the state lobbying statute requires disclosure of all lobbying activities before municipalities, including jurisdictional subdivisions with populations exceeding 5,000 residents.

How State Law Can Shape Local Lobbying Requirements

State law may also mandate that local governments adopt their own lobbying frameworks. Maryland does not require local lobbyists to register at the state level, but it requires counties and municipal corporations to maintain lobbying regulations that substantially mirror state lobbying rules.

Highly regulated states such as California often have robust local disclosure requirements, particularly in larger cities and counties. Florida, while somewhat less centralized than California, is also known for numerous local lobbying ordinances that govern municipal and county-level advocacy.

Industry-Specific and Entity-Specific Compliance Risks

Local lobbying requirements frequently extend beyond traditional city councils and county commissions. Special-purpose entities (SPE) often impose their own disclosure regimes. Transportation authorities, such as the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and airport authorities, such as the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, may require separate registration and reporting.

School districts also present compliance risks. Lobbying activity involving districts such as Broward County Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, or Miami-Dade County Public Schools can trigger registration and periodic reporting obligations, even when activity would not be reportable at the state level.

Healthcare is another highly regulated area. Some public hospital systems impose lobbying requirements that are more stringent than local ordinances. For example, Jackson Health System, an affiliated network of hospitals in Miami-Dade County, requires all pharmaceutical representatives to register as lobbyists before visiting facilities to promote products.

No Thresholds Mean Higher Compliance Exposure

A critical difference between state and local lobbying is that many local jurisdictions impose no monetary or activity thresholds. This means registration may be required simply for engaging in conduct that meets the definition of lobbying, regardless of time spent or compensation received. As a result, even minimal outreach can create compliance obligations.

Before engaging in any local government relations activity, it is essential to independently verify applicable state laws, local ordinances, and entity-specific rules or consult with a lobbying compliance professional to reduce the risk of inadvertent noncompliance.

Note: The information in this response can be easily found on our website in the Lobbying Compliance section of the United States Lobbying Compliance Guidebook.  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Local Lobbying Compliance

1. How can I tell whether a local jurisdiction has a lobbying ordinance?

There is no single database or universal indicator. Larger cities and counties are more likely to have lobbying ordinances, but population alone is not determinative. Each jurisdiction must be reviewed individually, including municipal codes, ethics ordinances, and administrative policies. Special districts and quasi-governmental entities should be evaluated separately.

2. Does lobbying a local official always require registration?

Not always, but many local jurisdictions define lobbying broadly. In some cases, registration is required immediately upon engaging in covered activity, regardless of compensation or frequency. Where no registration threshold exists, even introductory meetings, informational outreach, or industry-specific advocacy may trigger obligations.

3. If state law governs local lobbying, do local rules still matter?

Yes. Even when state law applies, local ordinances or entity-specific policies may impose additional requirements. These can include separate registration, local reporting schedules, gift restrictions, or cooling-off periods. State compliance should never be assumed to fully satisfy local obligations.

4. Why is the absence of a registration threshold risky?

When no threshold exists, there is little margin for error. Limited or informal activity can still require registration and reporting, increasing exposure to enforcement actions, fines, or reputational harm if obligations are overlooked. Conservative compliance analysis is strongly recommended.

5. What steps should I take before engaging in local lobbying activity?

Before engaging with local officials or entities, confirm:

• Consult with a Lobbying Compliance Firm
• Whether state law applies to your activity
• Whether the local jurisdiction has a lobbying ordinance
• Whether special entities (school districts, transit authorities, hospitals) impose independent requirements
• Whether industry-specific rules apply

When uncertainty exists, consulting with a lobbying compliance firm, like State and Federal Communications, can help ensure accurate registration, timely reporting, and reduced compliance risk.

Your Question: Where do I need to register after I lobbied in a state?

Our Expertise: Deciding whether and where you need to register is already a herculean task, as you must navigate the labyrinthine world of state compliance laws. Along the way, you may encountera divergence in the path: one route leads to state registration, another to local registration, and a third requires both.
Thankfully, we at State and Federal Communications are here to offer you a ball of thread to assist with navigating the myriad paths that make up state and local compliance.

The first step in determining where registration is required is identifying who or what you are lobbying. Local lobbying generally targets city councils, county boards, and municipal authorities, while state lobbying targets state legislatures, governors, and state agencies. One potential hazard is misunderstanding which level of government oversees the entity you are lobbying.

For example, is the water authority owned by the city, county, or state? Is a local college part of the state university system? Lobbying these peripheral governmental entities may require registration with the entity itself, the local municipality, the county, or the state, depending on its governance.

Once you understand the scope of your lobbying, the next step is to review the law and verify the registration threshold. Some localities have their own reporting systems, while some states include local-level lobbying in their registration threshold. This analysis is done by delving into the registration threshold, then focusing on the definition of lobbying. If the definition concentrates on “state legislatures or agencies,” local lobbying is excluded.

Next, check to see if the local municipality you are lobbying has its own lobbying law and determine whether local registration is required. Finally, if applicable, confirm that the entity itself does not require registration.

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Q: My company is a registered lobbyist employer in California. We are sponsoring an invitation-only reception and want to invite state officials. Are there any gift laws or other requirements we need to worry about?

A: The California gift laws allow lobbyist employers to provide gifts to an official with an aggregate total value of $630 or less each year. The gift would be reportable as an activity expense on your quarterly lobbyist employer report. Lobbyist employers must also comply with notification rules when an official receives a gift aggregating $50 or more in a calendar year.

Where notifications are required, lobbying entities must include a notice in all written or printed invitations to events at which an official will receive a reportable gift. The notice must state attendance at the event by a public official will constitute acceptance of a reportable gift. The lobbying entity must also send the official a written notice of the gift’s value after the event. The notice must be sent to an official who received a gift within 30 days following the end of the calendar quarter in which the gift was provided.

For valuation purposes, the amount of the gift to each official is the official’s pro rata share of the total cost of the food, catering services, and entertainment, plus any item provided at the event. Only those officials who attended the event should be disclosed. To determine which officials to include on the lobbyist employer report, it is a good idea to have a sign-in sheet or guest book to track attendance. Immediate family members of officials must also be disclosed if the family member attended the event.

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For more information, please visit the California lobbying entry in our guidebooks. Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions. Not a guidebook subscriber yet? Request your free demo today and keep up with all lobbying, procurement lobbying, and campaign finance compliance.

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted to increase the maximum value of gifts public officials can receive from interested persons. The current gift limit of $25 with an aggregated limit of $75 per year will be doubled to $50 and $150 per year. Additionally, the definition of interested persons will be expanded to include lobbyists and lobbyist employers. The new limits will be effective January 1, 2026, after the commission finalizes the changes.

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The governor signed Senate Bill 199, which will remove the requirement for legislative lobbyists to submit semi-monthly reports while the General Assembly is in session. Instead, lobbyists will be required to submit a single report due on the fifth of each month. This requirement matches the reporting requirements for lobbyists who seek to influence local governments, state agencies, and the State Transportation Board. This bill will come into effect on January 1, 2026. Until then all lobbyists are still required to submit reports on the current schedule. Additionally, Senate Bill 199 modifies the PAC reporting due dates to January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 20 of each year until the bank account has been zeroed out and the PAC has been terminated.