Lawmakers met one final time Friday, April 17 to finalize the ethics reform bill passed at the close of the legislative session. Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed an amendment to change the gift limit from $100 per gift, but allowing an unlimited number of such gifts, to a $100 aggregate limit from any one source.

After correcting a drafting error in the amendment, both chambers unanimously passed the measure. The new limits go into effect on January 1, 2016.

After completing work on the bill, the General Assembly adjourned sine die.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Varmin on Wikimedia Commons.

The state Ethics Commission is discussing how to administer new lobbying and campaign laws signed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Senate Bill 967 (now Act 1280) limits lobbyists to one “planned activity” per week and provides a 30-day grace period for officials to return improper gifts. Political contribution limits from individuals and PACs to a candidate have been raised from $2,000 to $2,700 per election.

Act 1280 also authorizes the commission to oversee new ethics laws contained in a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2014. The amendment prohibited lobbyist gifts and corporate contributions, but did not provide the commission authority to administer the constitutional changes.

Earlier this year lawmakers passed House Bill 1002 (now Act 47), but that law only authorized the commission to issue advisory opinions concerning the amendment.

Act 1280 further provides the commission with statutory authority to administer the changes by issuing rules and investigating complaints. Act 1280 became effective upon Hutchinson’s signature.

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker hinted at a possible special session if the Legislature does not act on Medicaid expansion before the session’s scheduled end on Sunday.

Walker considers expansion necessary while many legislators have concerns about adding thousands of people to what some consider an already broken system.

If legislators run out of time without addressing the issue, Walker said he plans to simply put more time on the clock.

Photo of the Alaska State Capitol by Jay Galvin on Wikimedia Commons.

The Illinois Secretary of State Index Department has extended the filing deadline for the Lobbyist Expenditure Report covering the period of April 1 to April 15, 2015.

Due to an ongoing service issue on the website, the Lobbyist Registration and Reporting System has been inaccessible to some users.

The April 20 deadline has been extended to April 22, 2015, at 11:59 p.m.

Gov. Larry Hogan is expected to sign a new political contribution disclosure law covering government contractors. House Bill 769 makes significant changes to the law just months after the January 1 effective date of amendments passed in the prior legislative session. In fact, many of the bill’s provisions were prompted by questions regarding the most recent version of the law.

The new amendments clarify that a single qualifying contract of $200,000 or more with a state or local governmental entity is covered by the disclosure law, whether awarded before or after January 1, 2015. The bill also changes semi-annual reporting dates to May 31 and November 30.

Since the bill goes into effect June 1, 2015, this year’s dates have been modified to August 31 and November 30. Previously, reports were due on February 5 and August 5.

Senate Bill 2006 was enacted this week and effective immediately upon Gov. Cuomo’s signature. The bill amends lobbyist registration requirements by expanding the definition of municipality to include jurisdictional subdivisions with a population of 5,000 or more as well as school districts.

This change will have a large impact on interactions with local officials throughout the state of New York, potentially requiring lobbyist registration at the state level for interactions with local officials from municipalities with populations of 5,000 or more as well as with school district officials.

The registration threshold of $5,000 has not changed; however, Senate Bill 2006 has vastly broadened the spectrum of activity considered lobbying.

The General Assembly reconvened Wednesday to review several proposed legislative amendments offered by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, including changes to the ethics reform bill. The bill, as sent to the governor, changes the lobbyist gift limit from $250 per year from any one source to $100 per gift.

The governor, fearing this would allow legislators to accept an unlimited number of gifts as long as they were less than $100 each, suggested a $100 per year limit from any one source. Lawmakers voiced their own concerns with the amendment, stating its wording could be construed to create a $100 lifetime limit.

Much to the dismay of some members, the General Assembly will meet again on Friday, April 17 to clarify the issue and hold a vote.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Anderskev on Wikimedia Commons.

A federal judge in Illinois signed a consent decree Tuesday scheduling a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, who resigned last month amid ethics investigations.

Judicial approval was necessary to set the election date because Illinois election law conflicts with federal voting law.

A primary election will be held July 7 and the general election will follow on Sept. 10.

The General Assembly adjourned late Monday, April 13, 2015, after a lengthy debate regarding the state’s fiscal plan.

Last week Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order to extend the session if lawmakers failed to pass a budget, but the budget plan opposed by Hogan cleared the House and Senate on party-line votes, with Democrats in favor and Republicans against.

The Idaho Legislature adjourned sine die early Saturday, April 11, 2015.

The 90-day session concluded after both houses reached a compromise on a major transportation funding bill.

The bill approved $94.1 million for road and bridge repairs, failing to erase a $262 million shortfall in annual road maintenance.

Photo of the Idaho State Capitol Rotunda by Kencf0618 on Wikimedia Commons.

While seeking $72,000 in fines and restitution from a former candidate for lieutenant governor for campaign finance violations, Attorney General Bill Sorrell is coming under fire for his own recent filings. A new report claims Sorrell failed to adequately report thousands of dollars of reimbursements he received from his campaign.

The newspaper Seven Days has pointed to 16 occasions in the last four years where it believes the campaign provided only a vague explanation of what Sorrell purchased and never disclosed who was paid.

Sorrell stated he has always tried to meet his disclosure obligations and he welcomes any input from the Secretary of State’s Office.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, when asked about the situation, said he does not plan to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate.

Photo of Attorney General Bill Sorrell courtesy of the website for the Office of the Vermont Attorney General.

Grand Fork Democrats in District 43 have filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against state Republican officials and a political action committee (PAC) for receiving foreign campaign contributions. Gov. Jack Dalrymple, state Sen. Lonnie Laffen, and the ND Oil PAC each reported receiving contributions from individuals with Canadian and/or United Kingdom addresses.

The complaint cites federal law and regulations prohibiting contributions from foreign nationals in federal, state, or local elections. North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger has said he believes federal laws under the FEC apply to federal candidates, but do not apply to in-state, nonfederal candidates.

Democratic leaders also filed a request for an attorney general’s opinion on the interplay between federal and state law regarding foreign campaign contributions.

Effective May 31, 2015, the executive director of the Public Disclosure Commission, Andrea McNamara Doyle, is resigning. McNamara Doyle has served as executive director of the PDC since August 2011.

According to an agency spokeswoman, the resignation is voluntary and is likely the result of frustrations stemming from budget constraints and downsizing.

The PDC will meet April 9, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. to begin searching for McNamara Doyle’s replacement.

On April 7, Rhode Island Gov. Gina M. Raimondo appointed Marisa Quinn to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Quinn is the director of communications and outreach at the Watson Institute of International Studies at Brown University. According to the Providence Journal, Quinn will serve the remainder of an unexpired term left vacant by Sister Deborah Cerullo.

According to golocalprov.com, Raimondo said, “Marisa has a proven experience fostering clear communication, accountability, and innovation, and will be an excellent addition to the commission.”