After last year’s budget bill temporarily increased the executive agency lobbyist registration fee, lawmakers have made the change permanent.

House Bill 80 of the 2016 legislative session increased the fee to $500, effective July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2018, despite the state statute only mandating a fee of $125.

House Bill 387, signed during this year’s legislative session, amends the statute to match the budget bill’s increase. This change is effective July 1, 2017.

The Kentucky General Assembly adjourned the 2017 regular session sine die on March 30, 2017. Working late into the evening, lawmakers approved several bills to send to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk.

The Republican-controlled legislature passed right-to-work and anti-abortion bills, as well as a repeal of a prevailing wage law.

Stronger controls over prescription pain medication and penalties for trafficking synthetic opioids were also approved.

The next legislative session begins in January, 2018.

Gov. Matt Bevin approved changes to a campaign finance law yesterday, March 27, 2017.

Senate Bill 75 doubles current contribution limits for individuals giving to candidates, state executive committees, and caucus campaign committees. The limit for individuals giving to PACs also increases from $1,500 to $2,000.

Contributions to candidates and PACs will be indexed for inflation every odd-numbered year based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill also creates a single reporting threshold of $3,000 for campaign finance reports.

The bill is effective June 28, 2017, or 90 days from adjournment sine die of the regular session of the Legislature.

The Kentucky Legislature passed a bill this week to double the limits on contributions from individuals and PACs to candidates, state executive committees, and caucus campaign committees.

Senate Bill 75, according to supporters, provides greater transparency and will make it easier for everyday citizens to compete with dark money while running for office.

Opponents, however, believe the focus should be on curbing dark money and adding more money to the equation will further erode public trust.

Nonetheless, the bill will now be sent to the governor for review.

A special election will be held on November 8, the same day as the general election, to fill the state’s First Congressional District seat. Rep. Ed Whitfield, who already stated he would not seek reelection, announced his resignation last week amid concerns he granted special favors to his lobbyist wife. His resignation was effective on September 6.

Gov. Matt Bevin announced the special election will be held to fill the seat for the final two months of the term. Republican nominee James Comer, who was already running to take Whitfield’s place, is expected to be the nominee in special election as well.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo has called an impromptu meeting of the House of Representatives to discuss the struggling Kentucky Retirement System and Kentucky Teachers Retirement System. Stumbo cited poor returns and high placement fees for investment managers in an email sent to all members of the House.

All members of the House are invited to the Tuesday morning meeting, but Republicans are expected to boycott. Minority Leader Jeff Hoover criticized the timing of the meeting, as it coincides with a Democratic fundraiser taking place in Frankfort.

Hoover was also puzzled by Stumbo’s sudden interest in the topic, arguing the Democrats care now only because it will be an issue in the upcoming elections.

Photo of House Speaker Greg Stumbo courtesy of the Kentucky Legislature website.

The Executive Branch Ethics Commission has launched a new payment application for the 2016 lobbyist employer registration fee.

The application is available on any mobile device; however, updated registration statements must be submitted directly to the Ethics Commission.

Payments may be made through the application from July 1 to July 31.

The Urban County Council is reviewing proposed changes to Lexington, Kentucky’s ethics act. The changes would be the first major overhaul of the act since 1994, when it was first enacted.

Among the proposals, the mayor will be given sole authority to appoint members of the ethics commission, with confirmation by the Council, and same-sex and domestic partners will be included in the financial disclosure requirements and prohibition against nepotism. The issue of lobbyist registration was also discussed but was dismissed because most people speaking to the council are private citizens rather than paid lobbyists.

No vote was held, but the changes will be discussed again at the Council’s November meeting.

Photo of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Building by Nyttend on Wikimedia Commons.

Last week, Gov. Matt Bevin signed a revenue bill including changes for executive agency lobbyists. House Bill 80 contains a provision increasing the registration fee for lobbying executive agencies from $125 to $500 beginning July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.

The change was included in a last-minute amendment by the Senate on the final day of the legislative session. The Executive Branch Ethics Commission had been pushing hard during the closing days of the session to increase the fee, fearing a budget short-fall would result in cuts to the Commission’s staff.

A bill to double contribution limits died in the Senate as the 2016 legislative session came to a close. The session adjourned Friday, April 15, 2016. House Bill 147 would have raised contribution limits to $2,000 to state candidates and $5,000 to political parties.

The State and Local Government Committee passed an amended version of the bill but the full Senate declined to act on it because of constitutionality concerns. Litigation is currently making its way through federal court to declare Kentucky’s contribution limits unconstitutional.

Lawmakers were successful, however, in passing a budget compromise but, because the session has ended, will not be able to override any items vetoed by the governor.

Just days after Gov. Matt Bevin vetoed a bill to raise the executive agency lobbyist registration fee, proponents of the increase will have another bite at the apple. Lawmakers came to an agreement on the state budget in the earlier hours of Thursday morning and included a provision allowing the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to increase the fee, currently set at $125. The bill does not provide an amount for the increase.

The budget will be voted on tomorrow, April 15, the final day of the legislative session. Gov. Bevin will then have the final say as lawmakers will not have the opportunity to override any line-item vetoes.

Gov. Matt Bevin has vetoed a bill to increase the executive branch lobbyist registration fee. House Bill 423, a state revenue bill, would have increased the fee from $125 to $275.

Katie Gabhart, executive director of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, said the increase was necessary to avoid cutting its staff. The agency now faces a $40,000 budget deficit and, after lean years during the previous administration, Gabhart said there is nothing left to cut besides salaries.

Photo of Gov. Matt Bevin by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons.

Lawmakers have agreed to push the final day of the 2016 legislative session from April 12 to April 15 so they can continue working out a deal on the state’s budget. The change was made to avoid a costly special session after negotiations failed Sunday evening.

The General Assembly is only permitted to convene one more day this year and must adjourn by April 15 at midnight. Leadership from both houses will continue closed-door negotiations, hoping to have an agreement ready for a vote on Friday.

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) cannot enforce the state’s constitutional prohibition on corporate contributions, according to a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove concluded the rule to be a violation of the Equal Protection Clause because it prohibits corporate contributions while allowing other organizations, such as labor unions, to make contributions.

The case, Protect My Check, Inc. v. Dilger, grew out of right-to-work legislation. Labor unions who opposed the bill were allowed to make political contributions while a non-profit corporation, in favor of the measure, were not. The judge, however, rejected a First Amendment, free speech argument for allowing political contributions.

KREF stated it is still reviewing the opinion and is weighing its options.