On September 5, Gov. Gavin Newsom was presented with a bill codifying several current lobbying regulations into law.

Assembly Bill 902 codifies lobbyist regulations regarding filing deadlines, bookkeeping, and lobbyist registration.

If signed by the governor, the bill takes effect on January 1, 2020.

On October 18, the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will consider proposed amendments adding language to help determine when a committee reaches the 80% threshold for qualification as a sponsored committee.

The threshold will be determined by all contributions received by a committee in the preceding 24 months.

A committee will also be required to determine if it qualifies as a sponsored committee, or if a sponsor changed, at the time of filing each campaign statement.

The proposed amendments would also provide additional guidance regarding the appropriate terms which should be used to describe the industry or group affiliation of multiple sponsors.

The FPPC is accepting written comments on the proposals until October 16, 2019.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday, November 5 as the special election date to fill House Districts 28 and 100.

Rep. John Zerwas announced his early resignation from District 28, effective September 30, after being appointed the executive vice chancellor for health affairs for the University of Texas.

District 100 was vacated by former Rep. Eric Johnson, who resigned when he was elected mayor of Dallas.

The Legislative Ethics Commission unanimously recommended that the 2020 General Assembly pass legislation prohibiting legislators and lobbyists from engaging in sexual and workplace harassment against legislative employees, other legislators, and lobbyists.

In past cases involving allegations of sexual harassment, the commission has followed more general ethics laws relating to the misuse of office.

The recommended change would add specific workplace protections into the legislative ethics law and categorize sexual harassment as ethical misconduct, punishable by fines or other sanctions.

The commission also recommended that the ethics law be amended to grant the commission the authority to adjudicate a complaint filed against a legislator, even if the legislator leaves office after the complaint is filed, as long as the complaint is based on action that occurred not more than a year prior to the day the legislator left office.

During the 2019 session, several bills relating to sexual harassment were filed but none were approved by the legislature.

State Senator Justin Cronin resigned from his District 23 seat on Wednesday.

Gov. Kristi Noem has appointed Rep. John Lake to fill the state Senate vacancy and is seeking public input on filling the resulting state House vacancy.

Those seeking consideration must submit their information by September 10.

The Illinois Opportunity Project is challenging Gov. Steve Bullock’s Executive Order 15-2018.

Bullock’s Executive Order requires organizations receiving large state contracts to report political contributions that exceed $2,500, even if the disclosures are not required under federal election laws.

The challenge was filed in U.S. District Court and has been assigned to Judge Charles Lovell.

The Illinois Opportunity Project argues requiring disclosure of donations could lead to personal and economic repercussions for its supporters seeking state contracts.

The group plans on spending money during the 2020 election cycle to urge Montana gubernatorial candidates to repeal the executive order.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

The Arizona Secretary of State announced the implementation of new filing forms.

The forms are now separated by entity types: lobbyist, principal, and public body filings.

Effective August 27, the notarization requirement for all lobbying forms has been replaced by an attestation.

Because filing forms no longer require notarization the forms may be filed by email.

In the coming weeks, the Secretary of State will also implement a new website for online payment and document filing.

Maine lawmakers voted to pass Gov. Janet Mills’ proposed $105 million bond to fund transportation efforts during the one-day special legislative session on Monday, August 26.

The transportation bond to upgrade roads, bridges, ports, rail and air transportation, and to repair culverts and restore a commercial fishing wharf will now head to the ballot for voters on November 5.

The three proposed bonds for land conservation projects; infrastructure and economic development; and environment and energy projects all failed to reach the two-thirds vote needed to pass.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued a proclamation calling for a special legislative session to be held on Monday, August 26.

The session will be used to consider bond proposals in transportation; infrastructure and economic development; environmental protection; and land conservation totaling $163 million.

The transportation proposal provides $105 million to upgrade roads, bridges, ports, rail and air transportation, and to repair culverts and restore a commercial fishing wharf.

The infrastructure and economic development proposal provides $23 million to be divided among education centers, the National Guard, and high-speed internet access in rural Maine.

The environmental protection proposal provides $15 million to be divided among the Department of Environmental Protection, the improvement of municipal wastewater infrastructures, and the Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund to provide low-interest loans for energy efficiency projects, including heat pumps for residential homeowners.

The land conservation proposal provides $20 million for the Land for Maine’s Future program to be dispersed over two years to preserve farmland, working waterfronts, and other natural resources.

Proposals passed during the special session will appear on the ballot on November 5.

Bonds need a two-thirds vote in each chamber to pass.

The Tennessee Legislature held a single-day special session to formally elect c as speaker of the House.

Sexton, a Crossville Republican, had already been informally chosen for the role after a series of votes in a July caucus meeting.

Sexton replaces Glen Casada, who resigned from the speakership earlier this month.

Gov. Mike Parson has scheduled a special legislative session to begin on September 9.

Parsons hopes to see legislation passed allowing individuals to count the sales earning of multiple vehicles as credits against the sales tax of a replacement vehicle.

Revenue officials had allowed this until a June Missouri Supreme Court ruling said current law only permits a single vehicle to count for the tax credit.

The session is unlikely to cost the state much as it coincides with an already scheduled annual veto session on September 11.

The Portland Auditor has opened the public comment period for the proposed administrative changes to the city’s lobbying regulations.

The revised rules clarify lobbying including grassroots lobbying and attempts to gain goodwill.

Fiscal disclosures will be required to include expenses related to grassroots lobbying.

The proposed rule changes will also provide guidance on governments registering as lobbying entities if certain types of lobbying occur.

Governments will be considered lobbying entities when certain outside individuals lobby on their behalf.

The regulation changes will also exclude certain cultural gifts from the city’s lobbying registration and reporting requirements if the market value of the gift cannot be easily determined and declining the gift is likely to cause offense.

City officials will not be required to report certain ceremonial, hand-made, or other culturally specific gifts.

However, such gifts must still be accepted on behalf of the city and documented in accordance with city rules.

Additionally, the revised rules will provide guidance on when lobbying groups and city officials may be fined for late filings.

The auditor’s office will issue a warning notice for late filings.

Reports must be filed within 24 hours after the deadline or a late fee will be assessed up to $500 per report.

The public comment period will be open until September 23.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has called a special session to begin on Monday, August 26.

Mills hopes the Legislature will pass four bond bills totaling $163 million to raise funds for a variety of infrastructure projects.

The Legislature rejected a more ambitious bond proposal backed by Mills before its June adjournment.

Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a November 5 special election for House District 148.

The Houston seat’s representative, Democrat Jessica Farrar, has served in the Texas House for 25 years, but is stepping down to care for her mother.

The special election will be on the same day as the state’s general municipal elections.