Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 404 into law, extending expiration dates for licenses issued by state agencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lobbyist registrations set to expire at the end of 2020 will remain active until July 1, 2021.

Any lobbyist who does not plan to continue lobbying activity in 2021 must log in and terminate engagement in OLAC.

The new renewal registration window will open in late spring 2021.

All registered lobbyists will receive follow-up information regarding specific dates from JLEC.

This extension is limited to lobbying engagements registered prior to November 22, 2020.

New lobbyists submit registrations in the usual manner, within 10 days of engagement.

This extension does not affect the deadline for activity and expenditure reports required to be filed electronically in OLAC by Monday, February 1, 2021.

Memphis City Council voted against adopting an ordinance requiring those lobbying the council to register with the city and name their clients.

The ordinance would have required lobbyists to register annually and pay a registration fee of $50.

The ordinance would have also subjected lobbyists to similar reporting requirements of those lobbying the Tennessee General Assembly and the Metro Nashville Council.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced the special election for Virginia’s 90th House of Delegates District will be held on January 5, 2021.

The seat was previously held by Democratic Del. Joseph Lindsey, who resigned last month after being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Norfolk General District Court.

He had served as a delegate for the district since 2014.

Campaign Finance

National: “‘No Corporate PAC’ Pledges Hit Record in 2020, But May Face Uncertainty in 2022” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Texas: “Lawyers for Nate Paul Gave AG Ken Paxton $25k After He Waded into Civil Suit” by Taylor Goldentein and Jay Root for Houston Chronicle

Elections

National: “Disputing Trump, Barr Says No Widespread Election Fraud” by Michael Balsamo for Associated Press News

Alaska: “Lawsuit Challenges Alaska’s New Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot Measure” by James Brooks for Anchorage Daily News

Georgia: “‘Someone’s Going to Get Killed’: GOP election official in Georgia blames President Trump for fostering violent threats” by Amy Gardner and Keith Newell (Washington Post) for Anchorage Daily News

North Carolina: “Court Upholds North Carolina’s Voter Identification Law” by Ann Marimow for Washington Post

Ethics

National: “Trump Has Discussed with Advisers Pardons for His 3 Eldest Children and Giuliani” by Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt for New York Times

National: “Trump to Restart Foreign Deals, Breaking a Post-Presidency Norm” by Anita Kumar for Politico

Lobbying

Colorado: “Special Session Catches Secretary of State’s Office Off-Guard” by Marianne Goodland for Colorado Politics

Ohio: “Former Ohio Senate President Admits Ethics Violation for Not Disclosing Lobbying Clients” by Randy Ludlow (Columbus Dispatch) for MSN

Tennessee: “Memphis City Council Votes Against Reforms to Bring Lobbying into the Light” by Samuel Hardiman (Memphis Commercial Appeal) for MSN

Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor was suspended in a process initiated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

Pastor’s suspension comes after he was arrested on federal bribery charges.

This is the first time the city of Cincinnati has used the process through the probate court.

Additionally, Pastor accepted the temporary suspension without objection.

As part of the process, Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler named Cincinnati attorney Steve Goodin as Pastor’s temporary replacement.

Interim Council Member Goodin’s term began immediately after the suspension.

Goodin will continue the term until Pastor’s court case is completed or he is removed from office.

Pastor’s four-year term began in 2018 and ends at the end of 2021.

President-elect Joe Biden’s newly formed inauguration committee will not be accepting contributions from registered federal lobbyists, foreign agents registered under the Foreign Agent Registration Act, or from fossil fuel companies, their executives, or PACs organized by them.

The Biden Inaugural Committee, a 501(c)(4) non-profit entity named PIC 2021, Inc., will still accept contributions from American corporate entities and associations to fund the celebratory events of the January 20, 2021 inauguration.

The contributions, which are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes, will also be accepted from labor organizations, U.S. citizens, and lawfully admitted permanent residents.

An inaugural committee is responsible for activities connected with the inaugural ceremony, except for the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and a luncheon honoring the president and vice president.

Contributions to an inaugural committee are not subject to any contribution limits.

Campaign Finance

National: “Trump Raises More Than $150 Million Appealing to False Election Claims” by Josh Dawsey and Michelle Yee He Lee (Washington Post) for MSN

New Jersey: “Christie’s 2013 Campaign Hasn’t Paid Off $1M in Debt to 2 Firms” by Matt Friedman for Politico

Elections

National: “20 Days of Fantasy and Failure: Inside Trump’s quest to overturn the election” by Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “Trump Era Court Battles Weaken Congressional Power” by Todd Ruger for Roll Call

California: “San Francisco Public Utilities Commission GM Harlan Kelly Charged with Fraud as Part of Corruption Scheme” by Staff for KPIX

California: “Raymond Chan, Former L.A. Deputy Mayor, Charged in Federal City Hall Corruption Case” by David Zahniser and Joel Rubin for Los Angeles Times

Hawaii: “Ex-Hawaii Prosecutor, Police Chief Get Prison for Corruption” by Jennifer Sinco Kelleher (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

Ohio: “Watchdog Group Aims to Turn Lights Back on with Open Records” by Farnoush Amiri (Associated Press) for The Record-Herald

Pennsylvania: “Ex-State Lawmaker Found Guilty in Bribery Case Loses Appeal of Her Convictions, Probation Sentence” by Matt Miller for PennLive.com

Campaign Finance

National: “‘Mercenary’ Donor Sold Access for Millions in Foreign Money” by Alan Suderman and Jim Mustain for Associated Press News

California: “Inglewood Caps Campaign Contributions at $100,000 to Avoid New State Law” by Jason Henry for Los Angeles Daily Breeze

New Jersey: “NJ Attorney General’s Probe Seeks Records Connected to Democratic Power Broker” by Terrence McDonald for Bergen Record

Elections

National: “Criticized by Moderates and Pressured by Their Base, Liberals Fight for a Voice in the Democratic Party” by Sean Sullivan and Rachael Bade (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Supreme Court Wary of Quick Ruling on Trump Drive to Exclude Many Immigrants from Census” by Josh Gerstein and Zach Montellaro for Politico

Ethics

Alabama: “Mike Hubbard’s Prison Sentence Cut from 4 Years to 28 Months” by Associated Press for AL.com

Alaska: “Junior Staffer Says Top Alaska Official Told Her to Keep Allegations of Misconduct Secret” by Kyle Hopkins (Anchorage Daily News) for ProPublica

Ohio: “Councilman Mann Seeks Independent Commission to Audit City Council Development Deals Saying the City Is in a ‘Crisis Unlike I Have Seen’” by Sharon Coolidge for Cincinnati Enquirer

Lobbying

Canada: “Lobbying Watchdog Says Three Cases Have Been Sent to RCMP for Criminal Investigation Since Start of Pandemic” by Christopher Nardi for National Post

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “Pittsburgh Looks to Tighten Campaign Finance Reports for PACs, Independent Expenditures” by Ashley Murray for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Elections

National: “Wisconsin Recount Confirms Biden’s Win Over Trump, Cementing the President’s Failure to Change the Election Results” by Rosalind Helderman and Amy Gardner (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

National: “NRA Reports Alleged Misspending by Current and Former Executives to IRS” by Beth Reinhard and Carol Leonning (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Trump Pardons Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Who Pleaded Guilty to Lying to the FBI” by Rosalind Helserman and Josh Dawsey for Washington Post

Delaware: “Wilmington Councilman Rebuked: ‘City employees must not be threatened for doing their jobs’” by Jeanne Kuang for Wilmington News Journal

Illinois: “City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Denies Wrongly Firing Chief of Staff, Other Employees” by Gregory Pratt for Chicago Tribune

Illinois: “New Cache of ComEd Documents Shows Indicted Madigan Confidant Pressing Utility for Jobs and Contracts” by Dan Petrella, Jamie Munks, and Ray Long (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

Legislative Issues

Virginia: “As Virginia Democrats Rein Themselves In with Bill Limits, Some Legislators See Lost Opportunities” by Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Lobbying

Ohio: “Bankruptcy Judge Orders Lobbyists to Testify About Any Ties to Householder Bribery Case” by Jim Mackinnon for Akron Beacon Journal

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) adopted cost of living adjustment regulations amending contribution limits and gift limit amounts.

The newly adjusted contribution limit in effect for candidates for the Senate or Assembly and candidates for elected seats to the Board of Administration of the Public Employees Retirement System for an election occurring during the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022 is now $4,900 per person.

The newly adjusted annual gift limit amount in effect for the period January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, is $520.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) published the second draft of proposed revisions to state lobbying regulations.

JCOPE adopted the revisions on an emergency basis and submitted Notices of Emergency Adoption for each.

The revisions will be effective January 1, 2021; cover lobbying activity in the 2021-22 biennial lobbying period; and be applicable to registrations, bi-monthly reports due March 15, 2021, and client semi-annual reports due July 15, 2021.

Key revisions include changes to the definition of designated lobbyist, direct lobbying activities by volunteers, grassroots lobbying, coalitions, and prohibitions relating to the receipt of stock options as compensation.

Revisions to the source of funding regulations address segregated funds for out-of-state activities and reporting of anonymous contributions.

JCOPE is requesting comments on the revised regulations as soon as possible.

The 45-day comment period runs until December 28, 2020.

Campbell County commissioners appointed Chris Knapp to fill a vacant House seat after Gillette Republican Rep. Roy Edwards died from COVID-19 on November 2.

The commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to appoint Knapp to the House District 53 seat at a special meeting.

Knapp was one of three finalists interviewed during the meeting.

The Nashville Metro Board of Ethical Conduct has adopted a new lobbyist registration form.

The form, which is now available online, must be filed along with the written client authorization via email to the Metro Clerk’s Office until the new online registration portal is launched.

The Metro Clerk’s Office will begin accepting the new form on December 15 for continuing lobbyist engagements for 2021, which must be filed by December 31.

No new registrations will be accepted until December 15 and will be treated as a continuing registration for 2021.

The Metro Council has also increased the registration fee to $100, which must be hand delivered to the Metro Clerk’s Office or sent via U.S. mail.

Additional information is expected to be made available online on or about December 15.

The North Dakota Supreme Court ruled Gov. Doug Burgum does not have the statutory or constitutional authority to appoint a replacement for a state House seat won by a candidate who died before the election.

David Andahl died on Oct. 5 from complications related to COVID-19, but his name remained on the ballot as early voting had commenced weeks before his death.

A day after the election, Burgum appointed Washburn coal executive Wade Boeshans to the seat.

In a unanimous ruling, the justices ruled authority to appoint the replacement belongs to the District 8 Republican Executive Committee, who appointed the last holder of the seat, fellow Republican Jeff Delzer.