FLORIDA: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the date for the special election to replace Sen. Geraldine Thompson who died seven months ago. The primary will be on June 24, and the general election will be held on September 2.  One of the candidates vying for the position is State Rep. LaVon Bracy-Davis, who announced her resignation from the House, effective September 1.

Lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting a political action committee from accepting a contribution or expenditure from a foreign national, as defined by federal law. House Bill 1467 also amends reporting requirements by requiring affirmations of compliance. The bill also prohibits a foreign national from soliciting or directing a contribution or expenditure by another person to influence an election on a public question. The bill becomes effective July 1.

Campaign Finance

Florida: “State Workers Who Solicit Campaign Cash Could Face Criminal Charges Under Florida Bill” by Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenboge (Miami Herald) for MSN

New Jersey: “Gottheimer Funnels $10 Million from Congressional Campaign into Group Supporting Bid for Gov” by Madison Fernandez (Politico) for MSN

Elections

National: “DNC Leader Announces Plans to Primary Members of His Own Party” by Dylan Wells (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

California: “SF Will Let Nonprofits Report Less About Themselves Due to Fears of Political Attacks” by Katie DeBenedetti for KQED

California: “Anaheim Chamber of Commerce to Close in Aftermath of Corruption Probes” by Hosam Elattar for Voice of OC

National: “Justice Department Must Provide Details of Attempts to Return Illegally Deported Man, Judge Says” by Steve Thompson and Katie Mettler (Washington Post) for MSN

Georgia: “2 Protesters at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Are Subdued with Stun Guns” by Maya Miller (New York Times) for DNyuz

Hawaii: “Honolulu Director’s Free Trip to Poland Raises Ethics Questions” by Christina Jedra for Honolulu Civil Beat

New York: “NYCHA Paid Out Millions to Bribe-Paying Contractors Implicated in Corruption Takedown” by Greg Smith for The City

On April 15, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reforming the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which are procedures guiding acquisitions across executive departments. The order, entitled Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, mandates the Administrator of the Office of Federal Public Procurement Policy (Administrator) take “appropriate actions to amend the FAR to ensure that it contains only provisions that are required by statute or that are otherwise necessary to support simplicity and usability, strengthen the efficacy of the procurement system, or protect economic or national security interests.”

The order also requires these actions, which must be made in the next 180 days, be taken in coordination with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council), the heads of federal executive branch agencies, and appropriate senior acquisition and procurement officials from agencies.

Additionally, in the next 15 days, each agency exercising procurement authority pursuant to the FAR must designate a senior acquisition or procurement official to work with the Administrator and the FAR Council. Within 20 days, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget must issue a memorandum to agencies providing guidance regarding implementation of the order.

As described in a prior order issued by the president in January, this order requires that for each new regulation issued, at least 10 prior regulations be identified for elimination.

The Commission on Lobbying and Ethics in Government (COELIG) released their report of preliminary lobbying data from 2024. Lobbying spending was up over 4.5% from 2023, with a preliminary total of $377 million spent in 2024. The number of lobbying filings increased almost 6% from 2023. The top three subjects lobbied included miscellaneous business, appropriations, and health.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced a new sample donor response form for contributions made by limited liability companies (LLCs).

Committees are required to report certain attribution information for contributions from LLCs. To assist committees and encourage compliance the FEC adopted the new sample donor response form, which was announced on April 16.

The form will help satisfy a committee requirement to show its “best efforts” to obtain, maintain, and submit information mandated by law. By requesting completion of the sample form by the donor following the receipt of the contribution, a committee is in a stronger position to be in compliance.

Current regulations require LLCs provide accurate and complete attribution information to the recipient committee at the time that a contribution is made. The LLC must also affirm to the recipient committee that the LLC is eligible to make the contribution.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Ex-Bridgeport BOE Member’s Lie to Grand Jury Involved 2018 Campaign Event at Dolphin’s Cove: Records” by Jarrod Wardwell for Middletown Press

New York: “NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Andrew Cuomo Denied $2.5 Million in Public Matching Funds Over Missing Information” by Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “‘Nothing But a Pattern’: Ethics advocates alarmed by delay for House watchdog” by Justin Papp (Roll Call) for MSN

National: “Harvard Hit with $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze After Rejecting Trump’s Demands” by Susan Svrluga (Washington Post) for MSN

Maine: “Trump Administration to Pull Maine K-12 Funding Over Trans Athletes Dispute” by Brianna Tucker (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Greene Bought Market Dip Before Trump Paused Tariffs, Profiting from the Rally” by Annie Karni (New York Times) for DNyuz

North Dakota: “North Dakota House Removes New Ethics Commission Position from Budget, Adds 6-Month Deadline” by Mary Steuer (North Dakota Monitor) for Yahoo News

Pennsylvania: “Man Charged with Arson at Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion Denied Bail” by Justine McDaniel, Amber Ferguson, and Annabelle Timsit (Washington Post) for MSN

Gov. Larry Rhoden has called a special session for July 22 to consider recommendations and proposed legislation of the advisory council, Project Prison Reset, created by Executive Order 2025-01. The advisory council was created to assess and determine the need for a new prison facility and engage and analyze consultant recommendations on size, design, and location of a new prison facility and is required to make recommendations and propose legislation by July 15.

One of the many reasons why I love writing every month for our Compliance Now is because I love sharing all of the great information and resources that come my way, and so what a treat it is for me to share with you that I stumbled upon Global Pay It Forward Day!

Global Pay It Forward Day is recognized each year on April 28th and is in honor and recognition of all the good deeds that have come a person’s way, giving that person the opportunity on April 28th to “pay it forward.” Global Pay It Forward Day is observed in over 80 countries (including the United States), and the idea [of the day] is “Whenever we are shown kindness, this concept encourages us to pay it forward by showing kindness to others, and they are to do the same…ultimately leading to a selfless ripple of kindness”. [nationaltoday.com/global-pay-it-forward-day] The phrase “Pay It Forward” was first devised by author Lily Hardy Hammond in her book, “In the Garden of Delight” and was later made popular in author Robert Heinlein’s novel “Between Planets.” In addition, the “pay it forward” concept appeared in the novel by the same name written by Catherine Ryan Hyde – the book went on to be a best-seller and was the foundation on which Global Pay It Forward Day was established (international speaker and author Blake Beattie was inspired by Hyde’s book to create the day in 2007).

I, for one, am looking forward to observing Global Pay It Forward Day on April 28th! If you are looking for some ideas on how to observe the day, please check out these Global Pay It Forward Day activities, which I pulled from their website:

• Perform Random Acts of Kindness
• Give a Random Compliment
• Sign up for Volunteer Work

However you decide to observe Global Pay It Forward Day, I invite you to “pay it forward” not only on April 28th, but all year long – a little kindness really does go a long, long way!

The West Virginia Legislature adjourned sine die April 12. An elections bill has passed both houses and is awaiting governor approval. Senate Bill 50 changes the date of all municipal elections to coincide with statewide elections. This bill will require municipalities to adopt new rules to make sure they coincide with the state’s planned election dates.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a proclamation declaring a special election to be held for Assembly District 63. The seat became vacant after Assembly member Bill Essayli announced he was resigning to take an appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. The special primary election will be held on June 24, followed by the special general election on August 26.

Campaign Finance

Florida: “Here’s Where $10 Million Donation to DeSantis’ Hope Florida Effort Went” by Lawrence Mower and Alexandra Glorioso (Tampa Bay Times) for MSN

Texas: “A Texas Republican Benefited from Out-of-State Donors. Now He Wants to Limit Their Impact” by Nolan McCaskill (Dallas Morning News) for MSN

Elections

North Carolina: “North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Most Challenged Ballots Must Stay in Election Count” by Gary Robertson (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

Ethics

National: “Amid Trump’s Pause on Foreign Bribery Cases, One Involving a Company His Allies Targeted Will Proceed” by Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Some DOGE Staffers Hold High-Powered Jobs at Multiple Federal Agencies” by Faiz Siddiqui and Jacob Bogage (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Resistance to Ethics Reforms Draws Criticism” by Jake Sheridan (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

National: “Sarah Palin, New York Times to Face Off in Defamation Retrial” by Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

Montana: “Bill to Streamline Legislator-to-Lobbyist ‘Revolving Door’ Voted Down in Montana House” by Seaborn Larson (Montana State News Bureau) for Longview News-Journal

The Legislature adjourned sine die on April 11. Lawmakers passed various bills related to campaign finance, including House Bill 2054, which increases the state’s contribution limits. House Bill 2106 prohibits contributions or expenditures from foreign nationals regarding campaigns to amend the Kansas Constitution. The bill also mandates constitutional amendment campaigns disclose contributions over $50 and certify they and their donors have not accepted significant foreign funds. House Bill 2206 renames the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission and creates a new definition for cooperation or consent, in relation to express advocacy expenditures. The legislation also raises the limit from $10 to $50 in the amount of a political contribution an individual may accept without knowing the identity of the donor. House Bill 2054 is effective April 10, with House Bills 2106 and 2206 becoming effective  July 1.

On April 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, aimed to ensure individuals provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

The bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill also requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.

Additionally, the legislation allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The SAVE Act, which specifies the documents deemed as acceptable proof, will now be considered by the Senate.