Phoenix, Arizona has launched an online lobbyist database for 2018 registration and reporting purposes. It is available at https://lobbyist.phoenix.gov.

In order to use the system, a user name and password is needed. The website can also be used to search for a particular organization’s lobbying efforts.

For questions about using this new system, contact the Phoenix Office of the City Clerk at lobbyist@phoenix.gov or 602-534-0490.

Lobbying

“Lobbyists Have a New Secret Weapon” by Alexandra Stratton for Bloomberg.com

Campaign Finance

“FEC’s New Facebook Ruling Requires Ad Sharing Info Yet Gives Reformers Little to Like” by Margaret Sessa-Hawkins for MapLight.org

California: “Big Donors Can Dominate City Election Spending – Whether or Not There Are Contribution Limits” by Thy Vo for Voice of OC

District of Columbia: “D.C. Council Unanimously Votes to Create Public Campaign Finance Program” by Rachel Chason for Washington Post

Ethics

“Football Team’s Stay at Doral Resort Could Bolster Lawsuit Targeting Trump” by Jonathan O’Connell for Washington Post

Florida: “South Florida State Senators Acknowledge Extramarital Affair” by Dan Sweeny for South Florida Sentinel

Idaho: “Idaho Lawmakers Undergo Anti-Sexual Harassment Training” by Betsy Russell for Spokane Spokesman-Review

New York: “Brooklyn Assemblywoman Indicted on Fraud Charges” by Jesse McKinley for New York Times

Canada: “Morneau Cleared by Ethics Watchdog on Two Complaints” by Tonda MacCharles for Toronto Star

Redistricting

North Carolina: “NC Congressional Districts Struck Down as Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymanders” by Anne Blythe for Raleigh News and Observer

New Hampshire lobbyists received a letter from the General Court last week confirming they are covered by the Legislature’s sexual harassment policies and procedures and should report any harassment they experience.

According to the letter, the State House is not only a workplace for legislative staff, Senators, and Representatives, but also for lobbyists and there is a duty to protect all individuals working there.

The letter follows a story by New Hampshire Public Radio about routine sexual harassment and casual sexism at the State House.

State House staff and lobbyists can report harassment by following procedures established by the Legislative Ethics Committee.

In the first of two required votes, Washington D.C. City Council voted unanimously in favor of the Fair Elections Act of 2017. The legislation would create a voluntary public campaign finance program for local elections.

Under the program, qualified candidates would receive a base sum that varies by office, as well as a 5-to-1 match on small donations. If passed, the program would not be in place until 2020.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has previously stated she would not fund the program; however, City Council can allocate money to pay for the program, according to the bill’s author, D.C. Council member David Grosso.

After being delayed by a snowstorm, the Connecticut General Assembly adjourned on Monday, January 8.

Both chambers overwhelmingly passed House Bill 7601, which restored funding to the Medicare Savings Program.

Gov. Dannel Malloy has threatened to veto the bill.

Lobbying

Missouri: “House Prepares to Fast Track Lobbyist Gift Limit Yet Again” by Tyler Wornell for The Missourian

Campaign Finance

Pennsylvania: “When Does a Campaign Contribution Become a Bribe?” by Peter Hall for Allentown Morning Call

Washington: “Spokane City Council Overrides Condon Veto of Campaign Finance Reporting Law” by Kip Hill for Spokane Spokesman-Review

Ethics

“Fusion GPS Founder Hauled from the Shadows for the Russia Election Investigation” by Matt Flegenheimer for New York Times

Canada: “Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson Says She ‘Went Out with a Bang’” by Laura Stone for The Globe and Mail

Florida: “Broward Legislators Take Action to Deal with Sexual Harassment in the State Capital” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald

Maryland: “Feds: Indicted Baltimore state senator confessed to taking cash payments” by Justin Fenton for Baltimore Sun

Texas: “Amid Sexual Harassment Concerns, Lawmakers Consider How to Check Their Own Power” by Jolie McCullough and Alexa Ura for Texas Tribune

Elections

Kansas: “Awkward: Brownback said he was leaving as Kansas governor. He hasn’t” by Julie Bosman for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Kentucky: “Kentucky House Speaker Lashes Out in Resignation Speech after Sexual Harassment Settlement” by Derek Hawkins for Washington Post

Alaska state Sen. Mike Dunleavy announced he will resign his Senate E seat to focus on a campaign for governor.

Had Dunleavy remained in office, he would have been prohibited from campaigning or raising money during the legislative session, which starts January 16. His resignation is effective January 15.

To select Dunleavy’s replacement, the Alaska Republican Party will send 3 names to Governor Bill Walker to choose.

Walker’s choice must then be confirmed by a majority of Republicans in the Alaska Senate.

House Speaker Jeff Hoover resigned Monday following pressure from members of both parties.

He had privately settled a sexual harassment claim with a staff member with whom he had exchanged explicit messages after her colleague told her doing so would advance her career.

A writ for special election must be filed by the presiding officer of the House of Representatives to fill the vacancy.

California Gov. Jerry Brown set June 5 as the date for a recall election on state Sen. Josh Newman.

Voters in Senate District 29 will vote on the recall and pick a candidate to replace Newman if he is removed from office.

Sen. Newman became the target of a recall effort over his support for increasing the gas tax.

If he loses, Democrats will lose their Senate supermajority.

Special election primaries have been scheduled to fill the California Assembly District 45 and Assembly District 54 seats. The special election primaries will be held on April 3.

Under special-election rules, if no candidate gets an outright majority of votes on April 3, a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held June 5.

Matt Dababneh, who represented District 45, resigned his seat after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.

Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who represented District 54, resigned because of health problems.

With a 6-1 vote, Spokane, Washington City Council overrode Mayor David Condon’s veto of a campaign finance reform ordinance.

The new ordinance will cut in half the maximum allowable donation to candidates, from $1,000 to $500.

Additional changes include a pay-to-play provision to prohibit contributions from contractors, a restriction on when contributions may be received, and a requirement to disclose a committee’s top donors.

House Speaker Mike Turzai announced special elections to fill two vacant seats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Special elections for the 48^th and 178^th districts will be held on May 15, which is the same day as the primary election.

The winner of the special election will serve until November 30. The winner of the general election will be sworn into a two-year term in December.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced the special election to fill the 175^th House District will be held on February 13, 2018.

If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a special runoff election will be held on March 13, 2018.

The district covers Brooks County and portions of Thomas and Lowndes counties.

Florida legislators have proposed several bills that would reform how lobbyists do business in the state.

House Bill 7003 makes changes to the Florida Code of Ethics and would develop a system track and publish lobbyists registrations.

House Bill 7005 requires a person who wishes to lobby a local governmental entity to electronically register as a lobbyist with the Commission of Ethics.

The legislative session began Tuesday, January 9.