The Utah Legislature adjourned a one day special session sine die on November 16, 2017. Lawmakers unanimously passed a bill to fix a complicated gas tax distribution formula in order to evenly distribute revenue and reflect the legislative intent of the original bill passed last year.

Lawmakers also passed a bill clarifying the definitions of solid waste and solid waste management facility, seeking approval from Gov. Gary Herbert who vetoed similar legislation earlier this year and requested changes.

Per Utah law, the ban on contributions during a special legislative session concludes at the time of adjournment.

Lobbyists hoping to work for President-elect Donald J. Trump will have to terminate their lobbyist registrations to be vetted for high-level positions, according to CNN.

Additionally, as an agreement to work with the next administration, officials leaving their future positions will be banned from lobbying for five years. Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer says the goal of the ban is to make sure “people aren’t using the government to enrich themselves and using their service in government to do that.”

Trump’s transition team told CNN this will help fulfill Trump’s campaign promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington.

Lobbying

“U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue Announces Revamp of Group’s Lobbying Arm” by Catherine Ho for The Washington Post

“Trump Team Sets Broader Limits on Lobbying by Former Staff“ by Michael Shear and Eric Lipton for The New York Times

Alabama: “Strange’s Office Asked Groups for Input on Ethics Law” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser

Florida: “Senate, House Differ on Lobbyist, Budget Rules” by Brandon Larrabee (News Service of Florida) for Sunshine State News

Campaign Finance

Maine: “Maine Ethics Commission Proposes New Campaign Finance Rules” by Christopher Cousins (Bangor Daily News) for Maine Sun Journal

“Federal Prosecutors Open Criminal Grand Jury Probe of Thornton Law Firm Donations” by Andrea Estes (The Boston Globe) and Viveca Novak for Center for Responsive Politics

Ethics

“Rudolph Giuliani’s Business Ties Viewed as Red Flag for Secretary of State Job” by Mark Landler, Eric Lipton and Jo Becker for The New York Times

New York: “Cuomo to Limit Campaign Cash, Create Watchdogs” by Jon Campbell for The Journal News

Elections

“Political Divide Splits Relationships – and Thanksgiving, Too” by Sabrina Tavernise and Katharine Q. Seelye for The New York Times

“Rights Groups See ‘Unprecedented’ Support in Wake of Election” by Sandhya Somashekhar for The Washington Post

Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran recently proposed sweeping changes to House Rules for when lawmakers return to Tallahassee next year. Corcoran is specifically taking aim at lobbyists and their interactions with House members.

Some of the proposed changes include banning lobbyists from texting lawmakers while in committee or in the House chamber, proposing a constitutional amendment banning elected officials from lobbying for six years after leaving office, and requiring lobbyists to disclose the bill or amendment they are trying to influence.

Newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in on November 22, 2016, and the 2017 regular session will begin on March 7.

Lobbying

Florida: “Toll Board Lobbyist Accused of Foiling County’s Push for Transit Funds” by Douglas Hanks for Miami Herald

Florida: “Ballot Questions Fail in Miami Beach” by Joey Flechas for Miami Herald

New Jersey: “GWB Scandal Puts a Light on the Benefits of Lobbying” by John Reitmeyer for The Bergen Record

Campaign Finance

Missouri: “Missouri Donors Say Effort to Limit Money in Politics Failed” by Summer Ballentine and David A. Lieb (Associated Press) for Southeast Missourian

Tennessee: “Legal Loophole Allows Donors to Obscure State Campaign Contributions” by Joel Ebert for The Tennessean

Ethics

Illinois: “Google and Facebook Take Aim at Fake News Sites” by Nick Wingfield, Mike Isaac, and Katie Benner for The New York Times

“Red Light Cameras Figure Given 2 1/2 Years in Prison for Massive Bribe Scheme” by David Kidwell for Chicago Tribune

Elections

“Bernie’s Empire Strikes Back” by Daniel Strauss for Politico

“Trump Draws Sharp Rebuke, Concerns Over Newly Appointed Chief White House Strategist Stephen Bannon” by Jose A. DelReal for The Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Republicans Unanimously Pick Ryan to Continue as Speaker, but Differences Remain” by Mike DeBonis for The Washington Post

New York: “No Pay Raises for State Legislators, Commission Says” by Rick Karlin for Albany Times Union

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

November 16-18   NABPAC Biennial Post-Election Conference, Breakers Palm Beach, Florida

November 19-22   SGAC Leaders’ Policy Conference, Dana Point, California

December 2   Advocacy Leaders Network – Benchmarking, Training, & Next-Level Advocacy, Washington, DC

December 6-9   NCSL Capitol Forum, Washington, DC

December 7   Ohio Holiday Reception, Washington, DC

December 7   WGR Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 11-14   COGEL Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana

On November 14, the Massachusetts Senate passed a resolution to create a task force to review ethics laws governing state, county, and municipal employees. House Bill 4627, which previously passed the House, requires the task force to file a report with the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives regarding the results of its investigation and study on or before March 15, 2017.

The original purpose of the bill was to review laws concerning lobbying, campaign finance, and ethics. House Ethics Committee Chairman Chris Markey said limiting the focus allows the task force to meet its deadline, according to the Sentinel and Enterprise News.

Gov. Gary Herbert has called a special legislative session beginning November 16 to fix a flawed gas tax formula.

The session was called after the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties negotiated a solution to redistribute the tax revenue evenly.

The special session, Utah’s fourth this year, is also expected to consider a bill aimed at exempting some recycling facilities from certain licensing requirements.

Campaign Finance

“Campaign Finance Laws Poised for Rollback Under Trump” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

“Howard Voters Approve Measure to Use Taxpayer Dollars for Local Campaigns“by Fatimah Waseem for The Baltimore Sun

Elections

“Critics See Stephen Bannon, Trump’s Pick for Strategist, as Voice of Racism” by Michael Shear, Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt for The New York Times

Ethics

“Former Illinois Congressman with ‘Downton Abbey’ Office Is Indicted” by Matt Zapotosky for The Washington Post

“How Federal Ethics Laws Will Apply to a Trump Presidency” by Steve Eder for The New York Times

Kentucky: “Longmeyer Found Guilty of 45 Ethics Violations” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal

Massachusetts: “Mass. Ethics Task Force OK’d” by Andy Metzger (State House News Service) for Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise

Lobbying

“Trump Campaigned Against Lobbyists, but Now They’re on His Transition Team” by Eric Lipton The New York Times

Florida: “Corcoran’s Changes Target Tallahassee’s ‘Good Ol’ Boy Culture’” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa Bay Times

Missouri: “Former Missouri Lawmaker Registers as Lobbyist After Quitting Early” by Kurt Erickson for St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Miami Beach residents rejected two ballot measures looking to ease certain restrictions on lobbyists.

The first would have allowed architects and landscape architects to serve on city land-use boards and work on city projects at the same time, as long as they do not lobby for a project they would eventually vote on. Currently, these architects are not allowed to serve on a land-use board while working on a project for the city.

The second measure would have allowed lobbyists to forego filing an annual statement if they did not spend or receive money for lobbying during the year. Lobbyists currently must file annual reports regardless of their level of activity, and they are subject to fines for failing to do so.

Last week, a federal judge upheld Alaska’s strict limits on several types of state-level campaign contributions, ruling that they don’t violate the free speech or equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

The suit was brought by three individuals and District 18 of the Alaska Republican Party against the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The lawsuit challenged state law that prohibits an individual from donating more than $500 annually to a candidate. The lawsuit also sought to overturn state law that sets limits on the amount a candidate can accept from nonresidents and the amount a political party may contribute to a candidate.

All of the challenged provisions of Alaska’s campaign finance laws were upheld as constitutional.

Voters in the District of Columbia passed a measure in favor of petitioning Congress to become a state in the union. The newly approved measure seeks to have the District admitted to the Union as the State of New Columbia.

The measure also approves a constitution to be adopted by the Council, state boundaries, and the guarantee of an elected representative form of government.

The petition now goes to Congress, which has the power to permit or deny it.

Berkeley voters approved a measure to create a voluntary system of public financing for city elections. Measure X1 does not increase taxes, but amends the City Charter and Municipal Code to allocate $4 per Berkeley resident from the General Fund to a new Fair Elections Fund.

To be eligible for public financing, a candidate must agree to only accept individual contributions of $50 or less from Berkeley residents.

Measure X1 was made possible by the recent passage of SB 1107, which allows any state or local government in California to provide for the public funding of elections.

Lobbying

“Trump Victory Could Mean Big Business for K Street” by Catherine Ho for The Washington Post

“S.F. Budget Set-Asides Mostly Pass; Noncitizens May Get a Vote” by Jenna Lyons and Emily Green for San Francisco Chronicle

Campaign Finance

“FEC Inspector General Says Top Agency Official Duped Her into Releasing Confidential Criticisms” by Dave Levinthal for The Center for Public Integrity

“Arizona AG to Investigate Spending by Minimum-Wage Advocates Yes on 206” by Alia Beard Rau for The Arizona Republic

Ethics

“Feds: Clinton Twp. trustee indicted in Rizzo scandal led us to others” by Tresa Baldas and Christina Hall for Detroit Free Press

“Donald Trump, New York Corruption, and a Loss of Faith in Institutions” by William Fowler for Gotham Gazette

Elections

“Over 70 Nations Have Been Led by Women. So Why Not the U.S.?” by Katrin Bennhold and Rick Gladstone for The New York Times

“The Electoral College Is Hated by Many. So Why Does It Endure?” by Jonathan Mahler and Steve Eder for The New York Times

“What Went Wrong with the 2016 Polls?” by Vann R. Newkirk II for The Atlantic