The Legislature has passed a bill requiring new political advertising standards.

Sponsored by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, Assembly Bill 990 will require political advertisements to carry larger statements clearly stating information about who is paying for the advertisement.

Bonilla introduced the legislation to ensure voters will be able to easily identify the sponsors behind any political advertising.

The United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court ruling granting a preliminary injunction against a Delaware campaign finance law requiring sponsors of third-party advertisements to disclose the identities of their donors.

Specifically, Section 8031 of the Delaware Election Disclosures Act, which became effective January 1, 2012, requires any person who makes an expenditure for a third-party advertisement exceeding $500 during an election period to file a report with the Elections Commission, including the names and addresses of each person who has made contributions to the sponsor of the third-party advertisements exceeding $100.

The Third Circuit ruled the lower court abused its discretion in granting the injunction. The Delaware Department of Elections may now enforce section 8031.

Seal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit by Djwalsh3 on Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Peter Shumlin has signed Senate Bill 93, changing lobbyist reporting requirements. Reports must now be filed for each month the legislature is in session with an additional report in September.

The new law also requires identification of lobbyists contributing to advertisements meant to influence legislation and a report must be filed within 48 hours if such advertisement cost $1,000 or more. Furthermore, a legislator’s candidate committee and a legislative leadership committee may no longer solicit or accept a contribution while the legislature is in session.

These provision are effective July 1, 2015.

Lobbying

Hawaii: “Hawaii Lobbyists Fined for Failing to Register with State Ethics Commission” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Minnesota: “Tomassoni Quits Range Job, Citing ‘Distractions’” by Don Davis for Duluth News Tribune

Texas: “State Law Allows for Lobbying Deep in the Shadows of Texas” by James Drew for Dallas Morning News

Campaign Finance

California: “A Legal Use of Power: Parties funnel millions to California candidates” by Jim Miller for Sacramento Bee

Pennsylvania: “After Pennsylvania Treasurer Scandal, Pay-to-Play Law Still a Longshot” by The Associated Press for Lehighvalleylive.com

Ethics

New York: “Harassment Suit against Former Assemblyman Vito Lopez and Sheldon Silver Is Settled” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

North Carolina: “City Panel Proposes Stronger Ethics Policy” by Steve Harrison for Charlotte Observer

Oregon: “Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber Faces Call to Resign amid Scandal over Fiancée” by Maria La Ganga for Los Angeles Times

Washington: “Free U.S. Open Tickets for Lawmakers? Ethics Board to Discuss” by Melissa Santos for Tacoma News Tribune

Legislative Issues

Idaho: “Recodification Bill Would Create New Title of State Law for Ethics, Public Records, Open Meetings” by Betsy Russell for Spokane Spokesman-Review

South Carolina: “Lawmakers Hear Calls to Change the Way SC Elects Judges” by Jamie Self for The State

Political Advertising

“Drones Fly into the Political Ad Wars” by Daniel Lippman for Politico

A news summary where government and politics meet tech and social media:

2014 Midterm Elections

“Google, Facebook aim to get out the vote” by Julian Hattem in The Hill.

“Cell Phones, Social Media and Campaign 2014” by Aaron Smith in Pew Internet Research Project.

“Help Us #FactcheckFacebook’s Election Efforts Today” by Micah L. Sifry in TechPresident.

“10 Races Federal Employees Should Watch on Election Day” by Eric Katz on Government Executive.

YouTube Elections

Bing Elections and Voter Guide – U.S. Senate Predictions

Google Politics and Elections | United States Midterm Elections

E-Government

“Is E-Gov Really Delivering?” by Tod Newcombe in Government Technology.

“Recreation.gov a Test Case for Government Tech” by Miranda Neubauer in TechPresident.

Lobbying

“Advice on How to Stay Out of Jail – From a Lobbyist Who Didn’t” by Kevin Ring for Washington Post

Missouri: “Missouri Attorney General May Face Inquiry over Money from Lobbyists” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Campaign Finance

“Donors Get Special Access to GOP Governors as Potential 2016 Contenders” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

California: “Once a Crusader against Big Money, Gov. Brown is Collecting Millions” by Michael Finnegan and Ben Welsh for Los Angeles Times

New Mexico: “PRC Member Told He Can’t Pay Himself to Campaign” by Thomas Cole for Albuquerque Journal

Texas: “Ethics Commission Approves Dark Money Regulation” by David Saleh Rauf (San Antonio Express-News) for Austin American-Statesman

Ethics

Alabama: “Jury Finds Alabama Lawmaker Not Guilty of Perjury” by Kim Chandler (Associated Press) for Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Ohio: “State Rep. Sandra Williams Found Guilty of Profiting from Ohio State Football Tickets” by Jim Siegel for Columbus Dispatch

South Carolina: “Bobby Harrell: A quick rise to power, and a quicker fall” by Jeremy Borden and Schuyler Knopf for Charleston Post & Courier

Texas: “Houston Drops Subpoenas to Get Speeches from Pastors Opposed to Anti-Discrimination Ordinance” by The Associated Press for Fox News

Elections

“Election Could Tip Historic Number of Legislatures into Republican Hands” by Reid Wilson for Washington Post

California: “L.A. Officials to Consider Ballot Measures to Change Election Years” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Louisiana: “Louisiana’s Rogues Yield to National Issues” by Campbell Robertson and Jonathan Martin for New York Times

Minnesota: “Campaigning to Extend, or End, One-Party Rule” by Monica Davey for New York Times

Montana: “Stanford Research Gaffe: School apologizes to Montana voters for ‘election guide’” by Katy Murphy for San Jose Mercury News

South Carolina: “State Election Officials Opt to Delay Election in Bobby Harrell’s Old House Seat” by Jeremy Borden for Charleston Post & Courier

Political Advertising

“In Democratic Election Ads in South, a Focus on Racial Scars” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times

Lobbying

“Former Senator Tom Daschle Forms New Lobbying Group” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

“Would Stronger Parties Mean Less Polarization?” by Thomas Edsall for New York Times

“Michigan’s New Campaign Contribution Limits Benefiting Republicans More Than Democrats” by Jonathan Oosting for MLive.com

“W.Va. Delegate’s Campaign Expenses Include Steer Bought at County Fair” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Ethics

“Politics of Ebola Tricky for Christie, Cuomo” by Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin (Associated Press) for ABC News

“Finding: Farmer girlfriend violated ethics code” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

“William Lantigua, Mired in Political Controversy from the Start” by Bruce Wright for Boston Globe

“Coakley Denies Allegation She Had No-Interest in DiMasi Case” by Gintautas Dumcius and Matt Murphy (State House News Service) for Lowell Sun

“Pennsylvania Justice in Porn Email Scandal Retires” by Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy (Associated Press) for Greenfield Reporter

“McAuliffe’s New Virginia Ethics Panel Meets for First Time” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Political Advertising

“Pants on Fire? Ohio Campaign Ads Take Liberties, Both Parties Say” by Darrell Rowland for Columbus Dispatch

Lobbying

“Lobby Firms Beat the Midterm Blues” by Megan Wilson for The Hill.

“Legislators’ Trips Abroad Apparently Above Board” by Tess Townsend for New London Day.

Campaign Finance

“Record Public Financing Amounts Awarded to Candidates” by Gregory Hladky for Hartford Courant.

“Donors Use Loophole to Pour Money into Governor’s Race” by Jeremy Borden for Charleston Post & Courier.

“Campaign Coordination Suit Filed in a Way to Get Favorable Judge” by Patrick Marley for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Ethics

“Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard Indicted” by Brian Lyman (Montgomery Advertiser) for USA Today.

“Legislators Need Stricter Disclosure Rules, Advocate Tells Panel” for Indianapolis Business Journal; Staff

“In William Galvin’s Contracts, Little Public Process” by Waltyer Robinson for Boston Globe.

Elections

“Health Scare in Texas Also Sends Political Ripples” by Manny Fernandez for New York Times.

“Supreme Court Allows Texas to Use Voter ID Law” by Adam Liptak for New York Times.

Political Advertising

“Environmental Issues Become a Force in Political Advertising” by Coral Davenport and Ashley Parker for New York Times.

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics approved amendments to the city’s campaign finance rules this week. Included in the amendments is a more expansive definition of third party support of a candidate.

Campaign materials produced by a candidate and subsequently used by an individual or PAC, independent of the candidate, now constitutes an in-kind contribution subject to the city’s contribution limits. The new rule is intended to curb a growing trend among candidates of posting videos on the internet, allowing third parties to take the material and independently create political advertisements.

The board unanimously approved the changes in an expedited manner to ensure the new rules would cover the impending 2015 mayoral race.

Lobbying

“Congressman presses Holder for review of think tank funding” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“Burger King hires former members of Congress to work on inversion deal” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

Pennsylvania: “Threatened with Pa. fee increase, lobbyists go to work” by Mary Wilson in NewsWorks.

Rhode Island: “R.I. Supreme Court denies request by 38 Studios defendant Wells Fargo” by Paul Grimaldi in the Providence Journal.

Campaign Finance

“FEC votes suggest gridlock is easing” by Byron Tau and Kyle Cheney in Politico.

“In the Senate, campaign finance is the new flag burning” by Gayle Trotter in The Hill.

“Midterm Voters Drown in Dark Money” by Albert R. Hunt in Bloomberg.

“Ads Paid for by Secret Money Flood the Midterm Elections” by Nicholas Confessore in The New York Times.

“Dark money threatens democracy” by Robert Maguire in The Hill’s Congress Blog.

Arkansas: “Some Arkansas candidates talk of limiting outside groups” by John Lyon in Arkansas News.

Ethics

Ohio: “Kasich appoints retired judge to state commission” on WKBN.

Oklahoma: “Financial interests of state officers will not be put online, Ethics Commission says” by Barbara Hoberock in Tulsa World.

Elections

“2014 Ballot Measures That Matter Most for States and Localities” in Governing.

“11 questions that will decide the Senate” by James Hohmann in Politico.

“Dems: Don’t trust the polls” by Niall Stanage in The Hill.

“Courts Strike Down Voter ID Laws in Wisconsin and Texas” by Adam Liptak in The New York Times.

Colorado: “Centrism Hurting Once-Popular Gov. Hickenlooper’s Re-Election Hopes” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing.

Georgia: “Georgia Uses Big Data to Get Out the Vote” by Daniel Malloy and Kristina Torres in Governing.

Michigan: “As election nears, big names stump for state candidates” by Chris Gautz in Crain’s Detroit Business.

Redistricting

“Things to know about political mapmaking in Ohio” by Ann Sanner (Associated Press) in the Daily Journal.

Political Advertising

“Campaigns Find Ad Space Finite, Even on the Web” by Ashley Parker in The New York Times.

Lobbying

“Lobbying World” in The Hill.

“Americans Are O.K. With Big Business. It’s Business Lobbying Power They Hate.” by Neil Irwin in The New York Times.

“TechAmerica Axes Top Government Representative” in Government Technology.

Campaign Finance

“Study: Major companies are increasingly disclosing their political spending” by Tom Hamburger in The Washington Post.

“Why the Billionaires Got Bupkus” by Michael Lind in Politico Magazine.

“D’Souza Avoids Prison in Campaign Finance Case” by Jonathan Mahler in The New York Times.

Maine: “Groups’ spending on Maine elections hits record $4.6 million” by Steve Mistler in the Portland Press Herald.

San Diego, California: “Leaders OK campaign crackdown” by David Garrick in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Ethics

“Lawmakers push for new limits to political intelligence brokers” by Peter Schroeder in The Hill.

“QUIZ: Do You Know How to Be an Ethical Political Appointee?” by Eric Katz in Government Executive.

Georgia: “AG’s office pays $10,000 fine in ethics commission case” by Aaron Gould Sheinin in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Georgia: “DeKalb Commission releases money for ethics investigations” by Mark Niesse in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Political Advertising

“When NOT to Air Political Ads on TV” by Abby Livingston in Roll Call.

Minnesota: “Minnesota campaign regulators give social media advice, suggest online posts carry disclaimers” by The Associated Press in the Star Tribune.

Missouri: “Few 2014 campaign TV ads in Missouri” by The Associated Press in the Springfield News-Leader.

Elections

Florida: “Hillary Clinton to campaign for Charlie Crist” by Maggie Haberman in Politico.

North Carolina: “N.C. sees rise in unaffliated voters” by Benjamin Brown in the Charlotte Observer.

Legislative Sessions

Montana: “Legislative Update September 2014” by Sen. Matt Rosendale in The Roundup.

Utah: “2015 Legislature Could See Record Number of Bills” by Bob Bernick in Utah Policy.

Tech and Social Media

“Procurement: What if We’re Doing it Wrong?” by Mark Headd in Government Technology.

Lobbying

“Under Contract” in The Hill.

“Anthony Weiner and the Revolving Door” by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in The Huffington Post.

“Eric Cantor’s out, Wall Street’s still in” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman in Politico.

“Lyft hires Gephardt’s K Street firm” by Julian Hattem in The Hill.

Ontario, Canada: “McGuinty’s gig as a lobbyist problematic” by Andrew Coyne in the Leader-Post.

Campaign Finance

“Dems Getting Stingier With Campaign Cash to Colleagues” by Lalita Clozel on Open Secrets Blog.

Colorado: “Citizens United wants press exemption from CO campaign finance disclosure” by Tess Cheek in The Colorado Independent.

Georgia: “Atlanta City Council weighs in on campaign finance issue” by Dave Williams in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Rhode Island: “Law professors debate campaign finance reform” by Aliza Reisner in the Brown Daily Herald.

Ethics

Florida: “Florida Ethics Commission dismisses complaints against Mayor Brown and Clay County School Board officials, not so Rep. Fullwood case” by David Bauerlein in The Florida Times-Union.

Elections

“Bigger and Better Things: Staffers Who Run for Office” by Rebecca Gale in Roll Call.

“Dems, GOP hone messages for final campaign push” by Alexander Bolton in The Hill.

“5 States Put Voting Reform to the Voters” by J.B. Wogan in Governing.

Ohio: “John Kasich, Ed FitzGerald won’t debate, a first in Ohio gubernatorial contests since the late ’70s” by Robert Higgs in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

State Legislatures

California: “Governor signs much-debated ridesharing bill” by Allen Young in the Sacramento Business Journal.

Nevada: “Education called top priority for Nevada Legislature” by Laura Myers in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nevada: “Tesla triumphs: Sandoval signs off on$1.3 billion untax package” by Dennis Myers in the Reno News & Review.

North Dakota: “Western ND lawmakers want $800 million for development” by Jessica Holdman in the Bismarck Tribune.

Virginia: “Va. House of Delegates plans to vote on Medicaid expansion” by Laura Vozella in The Washington Post.

Tech and Social Media

“Tweets made easy for bankers lobbying lawmakers” by Greg Edwards in the St. Louis Business Journal.

“Twitter’s new guide for campaigners” by Darren Samuelsohn in Politico.

Tennessee: “Chattanooga Launches Website to Track City Goals” by Joy Lukachick Smith in Government Technology.

Lobbying

“New regulatory lobby shop hangs shingle” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“NFL hires new top lobbyist amid Rice furor” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“K Street kicks into gear for GOP” by Anna Palmer in Politico.

“Herbalife fight hits D.C. trade association, as Avon withdraws from DSA” by Byron Tau in Politico.

“Dems give business a thorny embrace” by Bernie Becker and Peter Schroeder in The Hill.

“To Improve Decision-Making, Lighten Up on Lobbyists | Commentary” by Jason Grumet in Roll Call.

North Carolina: “Brubaker rated most influential NC lobbyist” by Sandy Selvy-Mullis in The Randolph Guide.

Campaign Finance

“Show me the money” by Jennifer Ginn in Capitol Ideas.

“Report: Congressional Candidate Fundraising Down in Midterms” by Emily Cahn in Roll Call.

“Unleash the convention beast” by James Windle in The Hill.

California: “AM Alert: Political Reform Act turns 40 amid burst of campaign finance changes” in the Sacramento Bee.

Louisiana: “Louisiana GOP Becomes First State Republican Party to Accept Bitcoin” by Tanaya Macheel in CoinDesk.

Wisconsin: “Gov. Scott Walker and Mary Burke on campaign finance rules” by Jason Stein in the Journal Sentinel.

Ethics

“Can Answering a Campaign Call Break the Law? | A Question of Ethics” by C. Simon Davidson in Roll Call.

Elections

Ohio: “Early voting schedule expanded by Secretary of State Jon Husted while court decision under appeal” by Jackie Borchardt in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Political Advertising

“Midterm Elections And Political Advertising” in ValueWalk.

“TV Still Dominates, But Most Political Agencies Will Use Programmatic With 2014 Midterms On Horizon” by Tyler Loechner in MediaPost.

Lobbying

“GOP staffers seek to cash in as odds grow of Senate takeover” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“How the Lobbying Top Tier explains an influence paradox” by Lee Drutman, Matt Grossmann, and Tim LaPira in the Sunlight Foundation Blog.

Massachusetts: “Martha Coakley owns up to lobbyist-held fundraiser” by Chris Cassidy in the Boston Herald.

Campaign Finance

“Election Panel Enacts Policies by Not Acting” by Nick Confessore in The New York Times.

“Joe Biden’s secret fundraisers” by Edward-Isaac Dovere and Tarini Parti in Politico.

“The PAC to End All PACs Is a Farce” by Walter Shapiro in Politico Magazine.

“Millennial PAC tries to inject youth, diversity into graying legislatures” by Aliyah Frumin in MSNBC.

Alabama: “Did Alabama state candidates violate law by taking money from Congressman Bonner’s campaign?” by Brenda Kirby in AL.com.

Alabama: “Alabama Attorney General’s office drops criminal charges against Lowell Barron” by Paul Gattis in AL.com.

Tennessee: “State auditing Brenda Radford’s campaign finance report” by Stephanie Ingersoll in The Leaf-Chronicle.

Ethics

Florida: “Scott campaign, GOP have paid $227K for use of jet” by Steve Bousquet in the Miami Herald Blog.

Georgia: “Judge hears arguments on call for sanctions in ethics commission saga” by Aaron Gould Sheinin in The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Elections

“Ten weeks out from Election Day, is a Republican wave coming?” by Domenico Montanaro, Terence Burlij, Rachel Wellford and Simone Pathe in PBS NewsHour.

Arizona: “Arizona primary election: 5 key races to watch” by Alia Beard Rau in The Republic.

Political Advertising

“The 2014 digital ad juggernaut” by Darren Samuelsohn in Politico.

“New regs for Wednesday: TV ads, military health plans, truck drivers’” by Tim Devaney in The Hill.

“Political TV ads will soon know who you are” by Jon Fingas in Engadget.