Here is our March calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

March 6-9   PAC National PAC Conference, Miami Beach, Florida

March 7   NCSL Foundation Lunch, Washington DC

March 7   Women in Government Relations Leadership Program Session #3, Washington, DC

March 9   Montgomery County Council – African American Affairs Advisory Group Meeting, Silver Spring, Maryland

March 12-14   NASPO Exchange – How to Market to State Governments, St. Louis, Missouri

March 14   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, DC

March 23   NCSL Foundation and SGAC Annual Roundtable, Washington, DC

March 23-25   American Copy Editors Society National Conference, St. Petersburg, Florida

March 28   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, DC

March 29-31   SGAC National Summit, New Orleans, Louisiana

Most of us have an idea of what lobbying is, but as states expand the definitions of lobbying, more activities may now trigger registration and reporting requirements. And, as states tighten political contribution rules, more and more contractors may run into problems because of pay-to-play laws. But in order to comply with the rules, you need to know the rules.

State and Federal Communications is taking part in two events over the next few weeks looking specifically at these issues. This fall our Compliance Client Specialist Nola Werren, Esq., will present “Compliance: Pay-to-Play and Procurement Lobbying Process” at events with the Public Affairs Council and WASRG, the Washington Area State Relations Group.

As an expert in the field, Nola will share her knowledge and experiences during a Public Affairs Council webinar and at the annual WASRG Symposium. Topics she will cover include the procurement process; lobbying requirements in the states, including best practices to ensure compliance; and pay-to-play laws. It is this area of pay-to-play, the nexus between making a contribution and the award of a contract, that can have far-reaching consequences for a business.

The Public Affairs Council’s webinar will be held on October 27^th and is entitled “Compliance: State-Level Laws and Recent Trends.” The WASRG Annual Symposium begins at noon on November 2^nd at Carmine’s at 425 7^th Street NW in Washington, DC.

Make sure you keep checking in with State and Federal Communications, Inc. We are your #1 resource on government relations compliance.

Enjoy these fun photos from recent events:

Elizabeth Z. Bartz in Washington, DC with the DC staff, Rebecca Pixton South and Gamble Hayden at the WASRG happy hour.

Gamble Hayden at the PLEN Women in Public Policy event in Washington, DC.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. is the proud keynote speaker sponsor for the Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) Luncheon Symposium. WASRG is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving government relations professionals.

On Thursday, November 5, Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, will give his input about the political scene from a state and federal perspective. Gonzales has appeared on “NBC’s Meet the Press” and “NBC Nightly News.” The symposium will be held at Morton’s The Steakhouse from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

On Thursday, October 8^th, The Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG), in conjunction with Women in Government, hosted a luncheon featuring Minnesota Senate President Sandy Pappas as the keynote speaker.  The luncheon was held at Carmine’s Restaurant, and is the second event as part of WASRG’s Fall State Legislator Luncheon Series .

Speaking to an audience of approximately 40 state and federal government affairs professionals, President Pappas discussed key issues involving women in the workforce, such as pay equity, family and medical leave, and the importance of having women seek careers in public office.  WASRG’s Fall State Legislator Luncheon Series will continue through December.

You’ll find more information on this and other WASRG events here.

Photo of Minnesota Senate President Sandy Pappas courtesy of Bobamnertiopsis on Wikimedia Commons.

State and Federal Communications was a sponsor of a recent WASRG holiday event to raise money for The Children’s Inn at NIH, which is located in Bethesda, Maryland and serves pediatric patients and their families from all over the world.

Current WASRG President Stefani Grant from Unilever and 2015 WASRG President Rebecca South from State & Federal Communications sent the following thank you note:

“On behalf of the Washington Area State Relations Group Board of Directors, I would like to let you know that the Annual WASRG Holiday Happy Hour raised $1,974 for The Children’s Inn at NIH!  Your generosity and good cheer helped to make our event fun and allowed WASRG to give to a worthy cause.”

We are always happy to work with WASRG and we’re honored to do our part to help The Children’s Inn at NIH!

The Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) is throwing a holiday party with fun, food, and networking – all for a good cause! State and Federal Communications is proud to be a sponsor of the WASRG Holiday Happy Hour & Philanthropic Event in Washington, D.C. on December 17, 2014.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to The Children’s Inn at NIH, a facility designed to keep families together as children receive treatments for critical illnesses at the National Institute of Health.

Here is our November-December calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please stop by and say hello!

November 6   Akron Urban League Women of Power Luncheon, Akron Ohio

November 7   WASRG Luncheon, Washington, D.C.

November 10   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, D.C.

November 12-15   Women in Government Fifth Annual Healthcare Summit, Washington, D.C.

November 20-21   2014 Conference for Professional Women in Advocacy, Washington, D.C.

November 22   SGAC Leaders’ Policy Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona

December 3   Ohio Society Holiday Party; Washington, D.C.

December 7-10   COGEL Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

State and Federal Communications was the sole speaker sponsor of the Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) Annual Summit on October 21, 2014. The Summit took place at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. and featured two political campaign consultants from each side of the aisle – Katie Packer Gage and Erica Prosser.

The off-the-record discussion focused on the upcoming midterm elections and how the elections might impact states as well as how the mid-terms will set the stage for the Presidential election in 2016. Both speakers agreed there have been surprises in some races around the country and with 2 weeks left, don’t discount a shocker or two yet to come.

WASRG is an association of DC-based government relations professionals with primary responsibility for representing their firms/companies/issues at the state and local level. State and Federal Communications has been a long-time supporter of the organization and its programming.

For information on joining WASRG, you can contact them at information@WASRG.com.

State and Federal Communications is excited to be the Keynote Speaker Sponsor of the 2014 WASRG Summit on Tuesday, October 21.

The keynote speakers for the event are Katie Packer Gage, President and a Founding Partner of WWP Strategies and  Erica Prosser, Senior Campaign Consultant with The Pivot Group.

The 2014 WASRG Summit will be held at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C.

Here is our October-November calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please stop by and say hello!

October 8-10   PAC Fall Board Meeting, Santa Barbara, California

October 13   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, D.C.

October 21   WASRG Summit — Keynote Sponsor, Washington, D.C.

November 13-15   Women in Government Fifth Annual Healthcare Summit, Washington, D.C.

November 19-21   2014 Professional Women in Advocacy Conference, Washington, D.C.

November 22   SGAC Foundation’s Leaders’ Policy Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona

State and Federal Communications is proud to be the Keynote Speaker Sponsor at the Washington Area State Relations Group 2013 WASRG Summit today in Washington, D.C.

Our Federal Compliance Associate Rebecca South and Marketing Manager Melissa Coultas are attending the event.

They Keynote Speakers are Robert Blizzard, a Partner at Public Opinion Strategies and Drew Lieberman with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Inc.

October 16   WASRG Summit–Keynote Sponsor, Washington, DC

October 16-18   Public Affairs Council Fall Board Meeting, Paradise Valley, Arizona

November 4   American League of Lobbyists State Lobbying Session, Washington, D.C.

November 21   American League of Lobbyists Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.

November 23-November 26   SGAC Leaders’ Policy Conference Turnberry, Miami Beach, Florida

The election took place at WASRG’s Annual Membership Meeting & Luncheon on February 9. Congratulations, Rebecca!

According to their site, “The Washington Area State Relations Group (WASRG) is one of the nation’s largest organizations dedicated exclusively to serving state government relations professionals.  Since the mid-1970s, WASRG has been providing its corporate, trade association and public sector members with a unique and valuable opportunity to interact with their peers, key state officials and public policy experts.”

Rebecca South, based in Washington, D.C., has extensive background in federal government compliance. She served 15 years as Government Relations Administrator for a national lobbying firm where she directed internal political compliance programs to ensure adherence to local, state, and federal laws regarding lobbying, ethics, and campaign finance. She also has substantive experience in the creation, management, and rules governing political action committees.

Rebecca began her career as a staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary in the early 1990s, and also served as a Program Director with an association management firm. She is an active member of Women in Government Relations, Toastmasters International, Public Affairs Council, and American League of Lobbyists.