LobbyComply Blog

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics announced a deadline extension for all lobbying filings until April 15.

The extension includes bimonthly reports covering activity for the reporting period of January to February 2020.

JCOPE also announced temporary procedures regarding hand delivery of report filings and checks.

Until further notice, visitors are not allowed into the JCOPE offices. Beginning April 15, JCOPE will accept hand delivery of lobbying filings.

However, the commission is not accepting hand delivery of checks until further notice.

Instead, any checks should be submitted either by mail or by submitting the filing through the online Lobbying Application using a credit card to pay the submission fee.

If neither option is possible, JCOPE asks filers to hold all checks for hand delivery until further notice.

State Senate President Donna Soucy and Speaker of the House Stephen Shurtleff announced the General Court has extended the suspension of all legislative activities through May 4.

During this time, the State House is closed to legislative members, legislative staff, and visitors.

The announcement is in conjunction with Governor Chris Sununu’s emergency stay-at-home order due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-27 on March 29 suspending rules under Michigan election law for elections on May 5.

Additionally, the Governor instructed local clerks, county clerks, and election administrators to immediately begin preparations to conduct the election primarily by mail.

The Department of State may assist with the mailing of absent voter ballot applications and preparation of postage-prepaid absent voter ballot return envelopes for the return of voted ballots.

Gov. Whitmer is encouraging all voters to vote by absentee ballot.

However, each jurisdiction must maintain at least one location on election day where any voter can appear in-person to receive and submit a ballot.

The Election Commission has suspended the normal requirements for absentee balloting in the June 2 presidential and state primary elections.

Gov. Eric Holcomb postponed the presidential and state primary elections to June 2 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Indiana Election Commission Order 2020-37 authorizes the temporary suspension of the state’s statutory absentee voting eligibility requirements.

This will allow all voters to cast their ballots by mail.

Due to growing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, state lawmakers will consider a bill to postpone upcoming municipal elections at least until June.

Additionally, lawmakers will consider allowing Gov. Kristi Noem to delay the presidential primary from June 2 to July 28.

The elections bill is one of at least nine last-minute bills related to COVID-19 to be considered on the last working day of the 2020 legislative session.

Lawmakers are expected to discuss and vote on bills remotely without gathering in Pierre.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn have agreed to delay reconvening the 2020 legislative session.

Pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 65, the Legislature will not convene on April 1 as initial scheduled.

Instead, the Legislature will reconvene on an unspecified date in the future, due to concerns about COVID-19.

The session, when reconvened, is not to exceed the limit of 125 days allotted for by the Mississippi Constitution.

In response to COVID-19, the Hawaii State Ethics Commission issued an order.

The order extends the deadline for lobbyist and employer activity reports to April 30.

Originally, the reports were scheduled to be due on March 31 for the reporting period of January 1 to February 29.

If, as expected, the various state or county stay-at-home orders are still in place near the end of April, those deadlines will be extended again to May 31.

On March 28, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.12 to move elections scheduled for April 28 to June 23 due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The postponement affects the presidential primary and special elections including:

• The 37th Congressional District
• The 50th Senate District
• The 12th, 31st, and 136th Assembly Districts

The executive order also reschedules a special election for Brooklyn City Council 37th District to June 23.

Campaign Finance

National: “Watchdog Calls for Investigation into Mississippi Congressman’s Campaign Spending” by Karl Evers-Hillstrom for Center for Responsive Politics

Elections

National: “Bernie Sanders Says He’s Staying in the Presidential Race. Many Democrats Fear a Reprise of Their 2016 Defeat.” by Sean Sullivan, Michael Scherer, and David Weigel for Washington Post

Ethics

California: “Former L.A. Councilman Mitchell Englander to Plead Guilty in Corruption Case” by David Zahniser, Dakota Smith, and Joel Rubin for Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts: “Sen. Dean Tran Stripped of Leadership Position After Committee Report Says He Used Public Staff for Campaign Work” by Steph Solis for MassLive.com

Lobbying

National: “The Race for Virus Money Is On. Lobbyists Are Standing By.” by Kenneth Vogel (New York Times) for MSN

National: “Campaigns Hit Up Lobbyists for Cash with In-Person Events Ending” by Megan Wilson for Bloomberg Government

Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske announced plans to conduct an all-mail election for the June 9, 2020 primary election.

All active registered voters in Nevada will be mailed an absentee ballot for the primary election.

Voters will be able to mark their ballot at home and then return it by mail using a postage-prepaid envelope.

Voters can also drop off a ballot in person at a designated county location.

This announcement applies only to the June 9, 2020 primary election.

In order to accommodate same-day voter registration, as well as assist voters who have issues with the ballot mailed to them, at least one in-person polling location will be available in each county.

Gov. Steve Bullock issued a directive on Wednesday authorizing counties to conduct upcoming elections entirely by mail.

The directive allows counties to decide whether to adopt a mail ballot for the June primary election.

Montanans are still permitted to vote in person during the 30-day voting window, even if they have received a mail ballot.

If counties choose to participate in mail voting for the June primary, they must submit plans to do so.

Mail ballots would be released on May 8 and early voting would be available in person through the close of the primary election on June 2.

Voters will not be required to pay postage to return their ballots by mail.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill concerning certification of the level of foreign national ownership for corporations participating in state elections.

Senate Bill 6152 requires a certification from each corporation making a contribution to the candidate, political committee, or incidental committee stating the corporation’s ownership comprises less than 50% foreign nationals.

The bill becomes effective June 11, 2020.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) advises required companies to file Business Entity Disclosures (FORM BE) as soon as possible if they are currently operational or otherwise able to file by the deadline, March 30.

ELEC will provide a grace period for any business entities during their period of closure if a business is affected by the current public health emergency.

To receive the grace period business entities may send a request by email to efiling@elec.nj.gov is required.

The request must indicate the business entity and the duration of the closure if known.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed the coronavirus response bill on March 27 eliminating in-person voting for almost everyone who has not previously voted in the presidential and state primary elections.

All voting will now be replaced with extended mail-in voting.

House Bill 197 voids Directive 2020-06, issued by Secretary of State Frank LaRose, moving the Ohio presidential and state primary election to June 2.

The bill requires the Office of Secretary of State to send a postcard to every registered voter, notifying them of the procedures to obtain an application for an absentee ballot and the procedures and deadline to return it.

Registered voters who have not already cast a ballot in the March 17 primary election, or in any special election held on the day of the primary election, may vote using an absentee ballot.

In person voting is only available for certain disabled voters and voters who are unable to receive mail.

All applications must be received by April 28 or postmarked on or before April 27 and received by mail not later than May 8.

For the purpose of the campaign contribution limits, the date of the 2020 primary election is March 17.

However, the statements of contributions and expenditures required to be filed after the primary election must be filed not later than 4:00 p.m. on June 5.

The bill is effective immediately.