November 14, 2011 •
Rhode Island Legislature to Meet Thursday
Bills Considered
The Rhode Island Senate and House will both convene this Thursday, November 17.
The two bodies will be meeting at different times in the afternoon to consider Senate Bill S1111A and House Bill H6319A.
The bills concern contributions and benefits related to the retirement system for public officers and employees.
November 14, 2011 •
Lobbying Firms Seek Other Ways to Make Money
The Washington Post discusses how lobbying firms are turning to other forms of communications and consulting to make up for a drop in lobbying spending.
According to the article: “Now, with Congress gridlocked over the debt ceiling and an election year on the horizon — historically slower on the lobbying front until the last quarter — some firms are increasingly chasing work that doesn’t fall under the traditional definition of lobbying in order to boost their bottom line.”
Here is the full the article, “Firms look beyond lobbying,” by Catherine Ho.
November 14, 2011 •
Lobbyist Frank Molina Fined $30,000 by FPPC
Sacramento Bee reports
The Sacramento Bee reported last week that California’s Fair Political Practices Commission has opted for a $30,000 fine against lobbyist Frank Molina, instead of the higher $5o,000 fine it had considered.
You can read the whole story here: “FPPC sticks with $30,000 fine for lobbyist Frank Molina,” by Laurel Rosenhall and Torey Van Oot.
Seal of the State of California by Zscout370 on Wikipedia.
November 14, 2011 •
Lobbyist Compliance Changes in Howard County, Maryland
Revisions to ethics laws approved
HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND: County Council approved revisions to the county ethics laws, making Howard one of the first local governments to approve the new standards mandated by the General Assembly last year.
The changes provide more detail in the county ethics laws regarding gifts, financial disclosure statements and lobbying provisions. The bill also expands the role of the county’s ethics commission by requiring it to maintain an annual report of lobbying activity.
Former County Council members will be banned from lobbying on legislative issues for a year after leaving office, and former employees will be prohibited from bidding on a county contract for which they helped write specifications.
November 14, 2011 •
West Virginia Legislature Convenes Special Session
Election Results Certified
The West Virginia Legislature convened for a special session on November 13, 2011 to certify election results.
The house has adjourned sine die.
The senate will reconvene at 6 p.m. on November 14, 2011.
Photo of the West Virginia State House by Analogue Kid on Wikipedia.
November 14, 2011 •
News You Can Use – November 14, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Special Sessions: A calculated risk
Federal:
Obama Administration Draft Memo Could Shed Light on ‘Lettermarking’
Sunlight Foundation Follows Lobbyist Tweets
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Alabama’s New Ethics Law Fails to Stop Exemption Requests from Lobbyists and Public Officials
California
California Legislators Head to Maui for Retreat Funded by Special Interests
California
Carrie Underwood Show Boosts Tribe’s Lobbying Expense
Colorado
Judge Warns Colorado Secretary of State Went Too Far in Raising Campaign Finance Threshold
Colorado
NBC News Can’t Pay for Colorado Governor’s Travel, Ethics Panel Says
Illinois
Clout, Corruption in Illinois to Take Other Forms
Kansas
Kansas’ Lobbyist Data Falls Far Short of Need, Watchdog Group Reports
Maryland
Maryland Sen. Currie Acquitted of Corruption Charges
Missouri
Missouri Lawmaking at Issue before High Court
North Carolina
N.C. Lobbyist Donations Ban Upheld By Federal Court
Wisconsin
First Recall Effort Launched against Walker, Triggering Unlimited Fundraising
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
November 10, 2011 •
Highlighted Site of the Week – The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
We offer our sincerest thanks to all our veterans for the service and sacrifice they offered in defense of our nation.
In honor of Veterans Day tomorrow, our Highlighted Site of the Week is the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. On the site, you can find information about the National Ceremony, as well as regional observances.
They also offer a link to the Library of Congress “Veterans History Project,” which collects and preserves personal recollections of our nation’s veterans.
As we take time to honor our military veterans, I thought you might enjoy a history of Veterans Day from the U.S. House of Representatives Office of the Clerk website, and President Barack Obama’s Veterans Day 2011 Proclamation.
For up-to-date information, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has an official Twitter account and Facebook.
In this picture courtesy of Wikipedia, “Joseph Ambrose, a then-86-year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who was killed in that war.”
November 9, 2011 •
Alabama Has Its New Ethics Law, But Exemption Requests Keep Coming
The Birmingham News gives us another glimpse at the state of lobbying in Alabama.
For a detailed look at the type of exemptions being submitted, take a look at “Alabama’s new ethics law fails to stop exemption requests from lobbyists and public officials” by Kim Chandler.
According to the article: “The Alabama Ethics Commission has received nearly 200 requests to certify dinners, trips and conferences as allowable exemptions since Alabama 10 months ago adopted a new ethics law, which caps how much a lobbyist can spend on a public official.”
November 8, 2011 •
North Carolina Special Session Adjourned
Future Special Sessions Pending
The special session of the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned on Monday evening.
A joint resolution is expected to pass the House and Senate that would schedule a three-day special session on November 27.
It also sets special sessions in 2012 for February 16-18 and April 23-25 before the standard May 16 short sessions begins.
Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikipedia.
Affirms Lower Court Ruling
A three judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously to uphold North Carolina’s ban on registered lobbyists making campaign contributions to candidates for the Legislature and the Council of State.
A lobbyist with the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the ban on contributions, saying it violated her right to freedom of speech and association.
The appeals court upheld a district court ruling by stating the ban was a “valid exercise of North Carolina’s legislative prerogative” to address potential corruption and the appearance of corruption.
November 8, 2011 •
State and Federal Communications Sponsors WASRG Reception
If you are attending the Washington Area State Relations Group 2011 Summit, be sure to say hello!
State and Federal Communications, Inc. is proud to be the sponsor of the WASRG Award of Excellence Reception at the 2011 WASRG Summit. The event will be held at the Hall of States in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, November 9, 2011.
The reception will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
November 8, 2011 •
Regina Brett Talks about Giving Thanks
State and Federal Communications visited with the author and radio host about an upcoming broadcast.
Regina Brett has delighted readers with her book, God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life’s Little Detours. A cancer survivor with a terrific world view, Regina’s regular column in The Cleveland Plain Dealer has reached scores of people over the years.
Yesterday, I visited with Regina about “The Regina Brett Show,” a weekly call-in radio show she hosts on Northeast Ohio’s NPR affiliate station, WKSU 89.7 FM. On November 16, the topic of her show is Giving Thanks. State and Federal Communications is proud to be the sponsor of the show that evening. Don’t miss it!
For those readers who are new to your show, would you tell us about The Regina Brett Show?
I say it is a show that is more about the internal affairs, the inside things that people are concerned about – relationships, education, health, marriage, and children. We’re not a public affairs show. There are a lot of public affairs shows out there. This is more of an internal affairs kind of thing.
Your subjects range from large issues to personal ones, from the serious to the whimsical. How do you pick the subject matter for your shows?
You know, it’s kind of a group effort with the producer and the sound technician. We brainstorm and we ask, “What are people concerned about?” And it’s a little tricky because you want to do something that is current events. So we ask, will it still be current a week, or two weeks from now? We try to think of things that are kind of evergreen, that are going to always matter.
The show on November 16 explores Giving Thanks. Can you tell us who your guests will be?
November 8, 2011 •
Mississippi Campaign Finance Suit Heard in Federal Court
No Immediate Ruling Concerning Registration and Reporting Provisions
A federal lawsuit concerning a Mississippi campaign finance law requiring registration and reporting upon spending at least $200 to support or oppose ballot initiatives was heard last week in U.S. District Court.
The case stems from the desire of five Lafayette County, Mississippi residents who would like to spend $1,000 to publicly support their views in favor of Mississippi Initiative 31, which limits the government’s use of eminent domain to take private land. The residents argued their First Amendment freedom of speech and association rights have been violated as a result of the campaign finance provisions and seek to have the law declared unconstitutional and unenforceable.
The case was heard by U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, but she did not immediately issue a ruling.
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.
