Lobbying

“Bill Shuster Muscled Through Transportation Bill Pushed by Lobbyist Girlfriend” by Anna Palmer, Jake Sherman, and John Bresnahan for Politico

“Taco Bell Lobbyists Thank Congressional Staff with 6,000 Tacos” by Lee Fang for The Intercept

California: “For Statewide Change, Advocates Are Making Their Battles Local” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times

Indiana: “Trinkets, Website Part of Gov. Pence’s Unique Lobbying Effort” by Ryan Cook for Indianapolis Star

New York: “Skelos Probe Sparks Competing Calls for Change in Nassau County” by James Galloway for Island Now

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “Council Moves to Illuminate Super PAC Money” by Tricia Nadolny for Philadelphia Inquirer

Rhode Island: “Raimondo Signs into Law New Campaign Finance Measures” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Ethics

Illinois: “Ex-State Rep. Smith, Who Pocketed $7,000 Bribe, Gets 5 Months in Prison” by Jason Meisner for Chicago Tribune

Elections

Missouri: “Resignations after Election of Black Mayor Put Missouri Hamlet in Spotlight” by John Eligon for New York Times

Procurement

Florida: “Inspector General Questions County Contractor Deals” by Andy Reid for South Florida Sun Sentinel

Lobbying

“What We Get Wrong about Lobbying and Corruption” by Lee Drutman for Washington Post

“Lobbyists Slow to Cash in on Republican-Led Congress” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Campaign Finance

“Campaign Finance System Is Broken Says GOP Super-Lawyer Jim Bopp” by Michael Beckel for Center for Public Integrity

Kansas: “Ex-Lawmaker Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for Bank Fraud” by Nicholas Clayton (Associated Press) for Kansas City Star

Ethics

“Storm Gathers around Clinton Finances” by Niall Stanage for The Hill

Illinois: “Judge Says Berrios Doesn’t Have to Pay $10,000 Ethics Fine” by Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune

Montana: “Montana Senate Committee Tables Confirmation of Political Practices Commissioner” by Charles Johnson for The Missoulian

Texas: “Texas House OKs Change in Investigating Public Corruption” by Eva Ruth Moravec (Associated Press) for Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Virginia: “Ex-Virginia First Lady McDonnell Tries to Get Corruption Convictions Tossed” by Matt Zapotosky for Washington Post

Procurement

Texas: “House Launches Contracting Inquiry at 11 State Agencies” by Aman Batheja for Texas Tribune

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, will be a featured panelist in a session called “Procurement Lobbying and Legislation that Impacts Procurement” at the 2015 NASPO How to Market to State Governments Meeting.

The conference, which will be held in Philadelphia, PA, runs from March 29-31.

State and Federal Communications is proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of this national forum!

Lobbying

California: “California Lawmakers Took Less Free Travel in 2014” by Jeremy White and Christopher Cadelago for Sacramento Bee

Florida: “In South Florida, the Business of Government Looks More and More Like the Business of Politics” by Patricia Mazzei for Miami Herald

Idaho: “Chastened, IACI Now Looks Inward” by Brian Dentzer for Idaho Statesman

New Jersey: “N.J. lobbyists may soon have to pay more to lobby: The Auditor” by NJ Advance Media for Newark Star-Ledger

Rhode Island: “New Task Force Formed by the Secretary of State Seeks to Overhaul Rhode Island’s Lobbying Laws” by Jennifer McDermott (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Texas: “Judge Removed in Case against Conservative Activist” by John Reynolds for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Obama Urged to Impose Rules on Campaign Spending Disclosure” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

New Jersey: “Former Bergen County Sen. Coniglio to Pay $100,000 Settlement to State” by Dustin Racioppi for Bergen Record

Ethics

Indiana: “Ethical Dilemma? House Speaker Brian Bosma Has Ties to Indy Eleven” by Tony Cook and Mark Alesia for Indianapolis Star

Wisconsin: “Audit Prompts Changes at Election Agency, Officials Decry Budget Cuts” by Steven Verburg for Wisconsin State Journal

Procurement

Mississippi: “Senate to Propose Changes to ‘No-Bid’ Contracts Bill” by Jimmie Gates and Emily Le Coz for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Lobbying

Arizona: “Lobbyist Tied to Phoenix VA Executive Fired over Gifts” by Dennis Wagner (Arizona Republic) for USA Today

California: “Foes and Fans of L.A. Economic-Justice Group Agree It Gets Things Done” by Emily Alpert Reyes for Los Angeles Times

Maryland: “Hogan’s Pick for Health Chief Says He’ll Avoid Conflicts” by Michael Dresser and Meredith Cohn for Baltimore Sun

Maryland: “Maryland Gov.-Elect Hogan Tries to Navigate Gifts Minefield” by Jenna Johnson for Washington Post

Missouri: “Publisher’s Parties Highlight Reporting Issues in Missouri Ethics Laws” by Rudi Keller for Columbia Daily Tribune

Rhode Island: “R.I. Secretary of State Mollis Ends Probe, Says Stokes Didn’t Have to Register as a Lobbyist for 38 Studios Meetings” by Kate Bramson for Providence Journal

Rhode Island: “Mollis’ Decision on Lynch Sets Bad Precedent, Says Leader of Common Cause” by Jennifer Bogdon for Providence Journal

Campaign Finance

“Judge Candidates’ Free-Speech Rights at Issue before the Supreme Court” by Robert Barnes for Washington Post

Ethics

New Jersey: “Dallas Owner Jerry Jones Paid for Chris Christie’s Trip to Root for Cowboys, Including Private Jet” by Matt Arco (NJ Advanced Media) for Newark Star Ledger

Procurement

Texas: “Audit: Texas Health Agency Mishandled AT&T Contract” by Aman Batheja for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

Missouri: “With Lobbyists, Missouri Lawmakers Golf and Dine Far from Jefferson City” by Eli Yokely for PoliticMo.com

Campaign Finance

“Jackson: Senate’s strict rule on donors used once” by Herb Jackson for Bergen Record

California: “Politicians Use ‘Ghost’ Campaigns to Fight Specter of Lost Funds” by John Wildermuth for San Francisco Chronicle

Kansas: “Judicial Retention Elections Becoming More High Profile in Kansas” by Brad Cooper (Kansas City Star) for Wichita Eagle

North Carolina: “Opinion Says Lawmakers Can Raise Money for Political Nonprofits” by Mark Binker for WRAL

Ethics

“GSA Loses Appeal in Firings of Top Officials; Appeals Board Orders Them Reinstated” by Lisa Rein for Washington Post

“Michael Grimm, in a Reversal, Will Resign From Congress” by Jason Horowitz for New York Times

“Republicans Try to Fix Damage Scalise’s 2002 Speech Could Do in 2016” by Jonathan Martin and Jackie Calmes  for New York Times

“U.S. Said to Investigate Sheldon Silver, New York Assembly Speaker, Over Payments” by William Rashbaum, Thomas, Kaplan, and Susanne Craig for New York Times

Procurement

Mississippi: “Task Force: Ban no-bid contracts in Mississippi prison system” by The Associated Press for Gulflive.com

Lobbying

“Dale Mallory Sentenced: ‘Nobody could ever buy my vote’” by Chrissie Thompson for Cincinnati Enquier

Campaign Finance

“The Special Powers of Super PACS, and Not Just for Federal Elections” by Derek Willis for New York Times

“Registration Rule for Political Groups Ruled Too Vague” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Sun

“Koch-Backed Group Sues Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris Over Donor List” by Melanie Mason for Los Angeles Times

Ethics

“Energy Firms in Secretive Alliance with Attorneys General” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

“State Ethics Agency Faces More Changes” by Christina Cassidy (Associated Press) for Gainesville Sun

“Conviction of Kilpatrick Pal Beasley Likely End of an Era” by Tresa Baldas for Detroit Free Press

“Port Authority Board Debates Ethics Rules as Ex-Chairman David Samson Sues” by Shawn Boburg for Bergen Record

“After Ethics Panel’s Shutdown, Loopholes Live On in Albany” by Thomas Kaplan, William Rashbaum, and Susanne Craig for New York Times

“Rep. Sandra Williams Gets Suspended Jail Time, Fine for Misusing Campaign Funds” by Jeremy Pelzer (Northeast Ohio Media Group) for Cleveland Plain Dealer

“McAuliffe: No fundraising in special sessions” by Travis Fain for The Daily Press

Procurement

“Ex-Mayoral Aide Accused of Trying to Help Firm Get Camera Contract” by Luke Broadwater for Baltimore Sun

Gov. Tom Corbett has signed a bill to curtail pay-to-play politics in state procurement contracts. House Bill 201 prohibits individuals who were employed by an offeror within the previous two years from participating in the evaluation of proposals.

The new law will prevent recently hired government workers from rewarding their former employers with large state contracts.

This provision will go into effect on December 20.

The Internal Services Department in Miami-Dade County has combined the separate vendor enrollment and registration processes into one online vendor registration. The online vendor registration process can be accessed here.

Paper based registrations are no longer accepted.

All registered vendors whose status was “Active” prior to September 15, 2014 will be able to update their existing registration profiles through this portal. An email containing the login information will be sent to each firm currently registered or enrolled. These vendors will only be required to log-in to the portal to establish an online, secure profile. Thereafter, the existing registration records will be available to them online.

Vendors still must return a notarized business entity registration application by regular mail.

Q. Several employees from my organization engage in selling to the states.  Do they have any lobbyist registration or reporting requirements?

A. The answer to your inquiry depends on two things:  first, does the state regulate procurement lobbying, and second, is there an applicable bona fide salesperson exception to the registration requirement.  To determine whether a state regulates procurement lobbying, you can use our Executive Source Guide on Procurement Lobbying.  The regulation of individuals attempting to influence the selection of a vendor has increased significantly, and this trend is expected to continue.

In states where procurement lobbying is regulated, individuals engaging in sales activity may be exempt from the registration requirement where a bona fide salesperson exception exists.  For example, in Maryland, a regular full time employee of a vendor paid to engage primarily in sales activity on behalf of the vendor is exempt from lobbyist registration.  In New York, the exception even extends to sales agents with contracts to represent their clients for a period longer than six months.

Absent an exception, sales employees who meet the lobbyist registration threshold in a state regulating procurement lobbying will be required to register.

You can directly submit questions for this feature, and we will select those most appropriate and answer them here. Send your questions to: marketing@stateandfed.com.

(We are always available to answer questions from clients that are specific to your needs, and we encourage you to continue to call or e-mail us with questions about your particular company or organization. As always, we will confidentially and directly provide answers or information you need.) Our replies to your questions are not legal advice. Instead, these replies represent our analysis of laws, rules, and regulations.

On October 14, 2014, New Jersey will implement State of the Art Requisition Technology (NJSTART), a new eProcurement system designed to simplify the procurement process, drive efficiency, and promote competition. The system’s online business directory will be accessible by all state agencies, suppliers, and local governments. Vendors will be able to create individual profiles, receive email alerts for upcoming procurement opportunities, submit proposals, and access training manuals and reference guides.

NJSTART will replace the 25-year-old mainframe system and will allow vendors to access their profiles in real time at any time of day.

Early enrollment is available for vendors who would like to be properly registered when the new system goes live. Because vendors will only be paid if they are registered in the system, vendors on existing contracts are strongly encouraged to register in the system prior to October.

Elizabeth Bartz is the featured speaker in today’s Public Affairs Council State Procurement Strategies webinar. This presentation is the final installment of the four-part “Strengthening State Government Relations” series and will begin at 2:00 p.m.

You can find details of the webinar on the Public Affairs Council website.

On March 21, the Chicago Board of Ethics posted a summary of its reverse revolving door ruling on the city’s website. The ruling comes from a case brought before the board for the purpose of reviewing the conduct of a department director.

Chicago’s reverse revolving door ordinance prohibits employees or officials from personally participating in a decision-making capacity as to their immediate pre-city employers or clients for a period of two years after joining the city.

The board ruled an employee involved in a procurement process for the city violated the reverse revolving door provision even though he consistently avoided extraneous contact with personnel from his pre-city employer and from its umbrella organization. Simply scoring RFP responses in addition to training or meeting with employees from a pre-city employer or affiliate in the ordinary course of employment constitutes a minor violation.

Lawmakers are considering a bill to block one of the firms seeking to bid on a multibillion-dollar light rail project from winning its bid unless it agrees to pay reparations to Holocaust victims. Delegate Kirill Reznik co-sponsored House Bill 1326 to block Paris-based Keolis from winning a contract worth $6 billion for the state’s Purple Line project.

Keolis is a subsidiary of the government-owned French railway Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF), which has admitted transporting about 76,000 Holocaust victims to concentration camps in Nazi-occupied France.

The bill would expand a 2011 law requiring companies to disclose involvement in transporting victims during the Holocaust.