September 15, 2011 •
Calls for Change to New Jersey Pay-to-Play Laws
Comptroller and ELEC Director
Today the New Jersey State Comptroller A. Matthew Boxer and the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) Executive Director Jeff Brindle called for a simpler pay-to-play system, tighter contracting rules, and more complete disclosure of contractor contributions.
Comptroller Boxer issued a report finding the state’s pay-to-play laws contain “a series of fatal flaws [that] have essentially rendered New Jersey’s Pay-to-Play law meaningless in the effort to prevent local governments from steering contracts to politically favored vendors.” Director Brindle stated, “Unfortunately, New Jersey’s political history is littered with examples of private contractors securing lucrative public contracts through targeted contributions.”
The comptroller’s report suggests several changes, such as eliminating the fair-and-open exception which has different regulatory systems at the state and local levels, strengthening fair-and-open guidelines to require more competitive contracting, and reforming New Jersey’s contract laws to allow a more competitive vendor-selection process.
Drawing on earlier recommendations from ELEC, Director Brindle also made calls for changes, including for one state pay-to-play law to apply “across the board” for all jurisdictions, emphasizing “the current maze of local and state laws is terribly confusing.” Additionally, ELEC proposes that any public contractor receiving a contract over $17,500 file an annual report with the agency, listing the contractor’s contributions and public contracts. The current disclosure threshold is $50,000. Director Brindle also stated the contribution limits for contractors should be raised to help address fundraising concerns and not discourage participation in the political process.
“Combined with competitive bidding reform as suggested by the Comptroller, together these changes would, I believe, constitute the strongest pay-to-play law in the nation,” Director Brindle said.
Comptroller Boxer’s press release is here. Director Brindle’s press release is here.
September 12, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 12, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Bipartisan Bill Would Require Transparency of Super Committee
Facing Voter Discontent, Lawmakers Skip Town Halls
Members of Debt Panel Have Ties to Lobbyists
From the States and Municipalities:
California
Campaign Accountant Held in Theft of Funds
Connecticut
Watchdog Agencies Spared as Malloy Nails Down Budget Cuts
Georgia
Ethics Chief Arrives Amid Makeover
Rhode Island
R.I. Rep. Leo Medina Is Charged with a Felony
Washington
Seattle City Employee to Be Fined for Driving City Car to Casino
Wisconsin
Attorney: New Wisconsin ad rules too broad
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 2, 2011 •
Government Contractors and Social Media
GovWin discusses communications strategies
Elliot Volkman has written a piece, “Contractors Use Webinars, Social Media To Extend Their Voices,” on GovWin.com’s blog. He discusses the benefits and limitations government contractors may face when using social media for their communications strategies.
Aside from discussing how to make the most out of using Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, Volkman also gives advice on hosting webinars and how they can fit in with the use of social media.
August 24, 2011 •
Our Online Executive Source Guides
Our Online Executive Source Guides give you everything you need for your compliance work in one place!
State and Federal Communications is the most trusted source in the nation for comprehensive, accurate, and timely compliance information lobbying laws, political contributions, procurement lobbying, and Canadian Compliance for U.S. Companies.
Our Executive Source Guides cover every important jurisdiction – federal, all 50 states, and more than 200 municipalities. We cover Canada too!
August 19, 2011 •
We Cover New Jurisdictions
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
We now provide information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for:
Chandler, Arizona
Fort Collins, Colorado
New Haven, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Chesapeake, Virginia
August 15, 2011 •
Two New Jurisdictions Added
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
We now provide information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for:
Hampton, Virginia
Hollywood, Florida
July 29, 2011 •
Here Is Another Jurisdiction Update
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
We now provide information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for:
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Eugene, Oregon
Lakewood, Colorado
July 28, 2011 •
Renewed Support for Obama Executive Order
Federal Contractor Political Disclosure
U.S. Representative Anna G. Eshoo has sent a letter to President Obama in support of a proposed executive order requiring federal contractors to disclose their political expenditures. The letter was signed by more than sixty members of the House.
In part the letter reads, “[D]isclosure will not politicize the procurement process–it will improve it. Political expenditures are already well-known to those that make them and to the officials who benefit. With disclosure, the public will have access to this information as well, allowing them to judge whether contracts were awarded based on merit.”
The proposed executive order has received both support and opposition since its leak in the spring, and even sparked a house committee hearing in May.
For previous articles on Lobby Comply by George Ticoras on this topic, you can read posts from June 1, May 20, May 12, and May 10.
July 20, 2011 •
State and Federal Communications Expands Coverage
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
We now provide information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for Miami, Florida; Pembroke Pines, Florida; and Vancouver, Washington on our website.
The image of North America by Bosonic dressing on Wikipedia.
July 7, 2011 •
State and Federal Communications Expands Coverage
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
By Labor Day, our clients will find 36 additional municipalities included on our website. As they are completed, we will update our postings so you can check out the additional resources.
Right now, we have provided information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for Alexandria, Virginia (my former home) and Tacoma, Washington.
In the future look for additional cities in New York, Arizona, and Michigan.
June 23, 2011 •
New House Ethics Rules Proposed for Massachusetts
Lobbyists Affected
Massachusetts House Republicans have introduced an outline of ethics reform for members which includes some restrictions on lobbyists. The ethics changes, which have not yet been introduced, would require lobbyists to wear badges identifying themselves as such and prohibit lobbyists from entering the House chamber or the members’ lounge, with some exceptions. Additionally, House members and their staff would be forbidden from contacting public entities regarding pending procurement decisions.
The Republican members have stated the proposed code will not be introduced until next week to allow the House Democrats to co-sponsor the new ethics rules.
Photo of the interior of the Massachusetts State House by Daniel Schwen on Wikipedia.
June 13, 2011 •
Delaware Governor Unveils New Procurement Website
Website Seeks Simplify Procurement Process
As part of the Governor’s Entrepreneurial Business Conference, Governor Jack Markell unveiled a new website to expedite the process of doing business with the state.
The new website http://mymarketplace.delaware.gov, serves as a single information source for the entire procurement process.
The website was developed by Delaware’s Office of Management and Budget to combine information from different sources regarding vendor registration, bidding procedure, and bid solicitation.
June 8, 2011 •
Puerto Rico to Restructure Procurement Processes
Plan aims to make process more efficient, just, impartial, and transparent
The President of the Council on Reorganization and Modernization of the Executive Branch has announced a plan to restructure Puerto Rico’s procurement processes.
Entitled the Reorganization Plan of the Administration of General Services, the plan aims to make the procurement process a more efficient, just, impartial, and transparent process.
Coat of Arms of Puerto Rico by HansenBCN on Wikipedia.
May 31, 2011 •
Massachusetts Vendor Fee Dropped July 1
Comm-PASS
As part of Governor Deval Patrick’s reforms for small businesses operating in the state, starting July 1 the Operational Services Division will no longer charge the annual $275 fee for businesses participating in the Commonwealth’s Procurement Access and Solicitation System (Comm-PASS). The state is also eliminating the fee it charges businesses to shop for health care under the independent state agency Commonwealth Choice. Another announced reform increases the upper threshold of Massachusetts’s preferential small procurement competitive bidding range from $50,000 to $150,000.
Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez said the reforms are focused on “creating opportunities for small businesses, creating jobs for our residents, and containing health care costs so businesses can survive and thrive.”
Photo of Governor Devol Patrick by Scott LaPierre on Wikipedia.
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.
