January 14, 2013 •
Georgia Senate Caps Lobbyist Gifts at $100
Rule allows for some exceptions
The Senate has imposed a $100 limit on gifts from lobbyists. Senators approved the gift cap 42-12 on the opening day of the 2013 General Assembly session as part of new rules governing the chamber’s operations for the current two-year term.
The new rule does not apply to travel costs or to gifts provided to groups of senators, including members of committees. The rule also allows lobbyists to give $100 gifts on multiple occasions.
Although not bound by senate rules, house leaders plan to introduce legislation later this week calling for a complete ban on lobbyist gifts.
Photo of the Georgia State Capitol courtesy of connor.carey on Wikipedia.
November 14, 2012 •
Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform Begins Statewide Tour
Senator Josh McKoon to pre-file legislation in December
The Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform is holding town hall meetings throughout the state to encourage citizen feedback on comprehensive ethics reform to be introduced in the 2013 legislative session. Senator Josh McKoon plans to pre-file ethics legislation in four separate bills by mid-December.
The legislation will include a comprehensive bill, a $100 gift limit bill, and two constitutional amendments to regulate funding for the ethics commission and to authorize a statewide grand jury to investigate corruption.
The next stop on the town hall tour will be in Columbus on November 27th.
The Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform includes Common Cause Georgia, Georgia Conservatives in Action, Georgia Tea Party Patriots, League of Women Voters in Georgia, and Georgia Watch.
October 8, 2012 •
California FPPC Delays Review of Campaign and Gift Regulations
Staff will obtain additional public input
The Fair Political Practices Commission has announced cancellation of the October 18, 2012 meeting. Regulations previously scheduled for review included a requirement for political committees to report expenses associated with online communications such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Biennial adjustment reviews of campaign contribution limits, voluntary expenditure ceilings, and gift limits have also been postponed.
These and other potential regulation changes are tentatively scheduled to be considered during the December 13, 2012 commission meeting at 10:00 a.m. The meeting will be held in Board Chambers Room 310, County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92101.
February 7, 2012 •
Limits on Lobbyist Gifts to Lawmakers in Georgia?
Senate Bill 391 could bring new requirements
Georgia Senator Josh McKoon has introduced Senate Bill 391, which could put limits on gifts lobbyists give to lawmakers in the state, as wells as other requirements.
For the full story read “With House bill stalled, senator targets lobbyist gifts” by Kristina Torres in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Photo of the Georgia State Capitol Building by AUtiger on Wikipedia.
January 13, 2012 •
Georgia Group Calls for Lobbyist Gift Limits
A bill is expected this session
The Georgia Alliance for Ethics Reform, which includes members of Common Cause and Georgia Tea Party Patriots, is pushing for gift limits that would cap lobbyist spending on lawmakers at $100 in the hopes of curbing lobbyist influence of elected officials. The group’s reforms would also ban public officials and their family members from serving on the state ethics board or holding government contracts.
State Representative Tommy Smith says he is willing to sponsor the bill this session and is looking for other lawmakers to join him.
However, House Speaker David Ralston downplayed the need for more ethics legislation. Speaker Ralston believes the existing reporting requirements sufficiently limit lobbyist influence by keeping the public informed.
Photo of the Georgia State Capitol dome by connor.carey on Wikipedia.
November 15, 2011 •
Federal Lobbyists Gift Rules Comment Time Extended
O.G.E.
The Federal Office of Government Ethics (O.G.E.) is extending the comment period for its proposed regulations concerning gifts from lobbyists.
In September, the O.G.E. proposed rules which limit, for lobbyists, the exceptions of the ban on gifts for federal employees. The proposed rules arose because of a Presidential Executive Order which had called for the O.G.E. “to apply the lobbyist gift ban set forth [in the order] to all executive branch employees.”
The period for written comments ended yesterday, November 14. However, today the O.G.E. announced it is extending the comment period to December 14.
Today’s announcement may be found here. A copy of the of the original proposed rulemaking notice is available here.
This post follows an earlier LobbyComply post concerning this rule, O.G.E. Proposes New Rules on Lobbyist Gifts.
October 31, 2011 •
Detroit Voters to Consider City Charter
Charter Proposes Ethics and Lobbying Reforms
On November 8, Detroit voters will consider a city charter proposed to reform the city government by bolstering ethics and reducing corruption. The proposed charter creates a board of ethics and the office of inspector general to investigate alleged ethical or criminal violations.
The charter seeks to improve transparency by requiring lobbyists and contractors to reveal financial connections with elected officials. Additionally, public servants are prohibited from accepting a gift, honoraria, or anything of value from individuals or companies seeking to do business with the city and a company can be barred from doing business with the city if found to be involved in contractual bribery or corruption.
Photo of the Detroit skyline by Shawn Wilson on Wikipedia.
October 17, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 17, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Company Shops for Campaign Cash
Former Lobbyist Sent to Jail for a Few Hours for Taking Hill Aides to 2003 World Series Game
‘Scarlet L’ for K Street Returns as Obama Sharpens 2012 Rhetoric on Lobbyists
‘Super PAC’ American Crossroads Seeks Permission to Feature Candidates in Ads
The Outsized Returns from Lobbying
From the States and Municipalities:
California
California OKs Donations via Text
California
L.A. Ethics Commission Slaps Developer with Maximum Campaign Fine
California
Proposed California Regulations Spell Out Gift-Reporting Requirements for Elected Officials
Massachusetts
DiMasi Friend Admits Breaking Massachusetts Lobbying Law
New Mexico
GOP Files Lawsuit against Newly Imposed Campaign Contribution Limits in New Mexico
Tennessee
Tennessee Lawmaker Arrested on DUI, Gun Charges
Vermont
Judge: Republican Governors Association violated Vermont campaign finance laws
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.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 28, 2011 •
The American League of Lobbyists Speaks Out
The group makes a statement against new gift ban proposal
On Monday, the American League of Lobbyists (ALL) made a statement against a new Obama administration proposal restricting lobbyists’ gifts to executive branch employees. It would also restrict those employees’ attendance to certain events sponsored by lobbyists, companies, and organizations.
Howard Marlowe, president of the organization, states: “The American League of Lobbyists strongly objects to this proposed rule and asks that it be withdrawn immediately. The Administration has offered no reports of even a single abuse of its current regulations to warrant the severe restrictions it has proposed on the mutual flow of information and expertise between lobbyists, their employers, and Federal workers.”
Here is a draft summary of the Obama administration’s proposed rule.
The “Lobbying in the News” page for ALL lists these three articles covering the news:
- “Lobbyists object to Obama proposal that would tighten rules for federal workers,” by T.W. Farnam in the Washington Post.
- “Lobby league opposes Obama rule,” by Anna Palmer and Dave Levinthal on the Politico Influence page.
- “Lobbyists’ group objects to new rule banning gifts to all federal employees,” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.
You can keep up with the latest discussions on the American League of Lobbyists Twitter feed (@LobbyistsLeague).
September 20, 2011 •
O.G.E. Proposes New Rules on Lobbyist Gifts
Exceptions to be Precluded
The Office of Government Ethics (O.G.E.) has issued proposed lobbyist gift ban rules, which would apply to all executive branch employees.
Most of the proposed rules deal with limiting, for lobbyists, the exceptions of the ban on gifts. For example, executive branch employees would not be permitted to accept invitations extended by lobbyists for free attendance at widely attended gatherings that would normally fall under the gift ban exception. Non-profit professional associations, scientific organizations, and learned societies, which are also sometimes registered lobbyists, would still be afforded the exception. The O.G.E. based much of its reasoning on the notion “the cultivation of familiarity and access that a lobbyist [gains]” may be used in the future by lobbyists to obtain more sympathetic hearings for clients.
Another change would preclude lobbyists from the gift ban exception of social invitations, such as invitations to cocktail parties and movie screenings, if the invitations were extended because of the employee’s official position, even if the lobbyist is not a prohibited source. The O.G.E. argues in its proposal that “the lobbyist could use social events as a way to build general good will with a class of employees in case access is needed for a future issue or client.”
The proposed rules arise because an earlier Presidential Executive Order regarding gifts to non-career political appointees, which had called for the O.G.E. “to apply the lobbyist gift ban set forth [in the order] to all executive branch employees.” Written comments about the rule must be received by the O.G.E. before November 14, 2011
September 14, 2011 •
Concord, NH Adopts Ethics Policy
The Concord City Council approved two ethics measures on September 12, 2011.
One measure limits gifts to the mayor and councilors to $50 or less. Another measure creates an ethics board to enforce the newly created gift limits.
The measures were somewhat controversial because many thought the gift restrictions were not strict enough.
July 6, 2011 •
Chicago Mayor is Set to Introduce New Ethics Ordinance
New Chicago Lobbyist Regulations
On Wednesday July 6, 2011, Mayor Rahm Emanuel will introduce a new ethics ordinance containing “the most comprehensive lobbyist disclosure database in the nation.”
Key components of the proposed ordinance include the creation of a searchable real-time database, a $50 gift limit per single non-cash gift given by a lobbyist, a $100 aggregate gift limit per calendar year on gifts from lobbyists, a prohibition on city employees, officials, or their businesses receiving loans from lobbyists, an amendment to the semi-annual lobbyist report form requiring lobbyists to disclose campaign contributions, and a codification of an executive order issued by Mayor Emanuel in May which bars employees from lobbying the city after leaving city employment.
June 2, 2011 •
Ask the Experts – A Question about Gift Laws and Upcoming Conferences
Here is your chance to “Ask the Experts” at State and Federal Communications, Inc.
Q. Summer is approaching and I will be attending conferences such as NCSL and ALEC. Can I pay for dinners with legislators and/or State Night events?
A. First and foremost, are you or your company registered to lobby in the state? Most states have more stringent gift laws applicable to lobbyists and lobbyist principals (Texas is the exception to this rule of thumb). The answer will also vary depending upon whether you are paying for a private dinner or sponsoring a State Night event. For example, taking a legislator to dinner, paying for cab fare or other transportation, or giving him a ticket to a ballgame are not considered part of the national conference agenda. Therefore, the normal gift limits will apply.
Many states have gift limit exceptions specifically carved out for expenditures at national conferences to which all members of the legislature are invited. State Night events are considered part of the conference agenda; therefore the gift limit exceptions will apply.
Although a State Night sponsorship may be permissible, it is important to determine if and when the expenditure must be disclosed. The reporting implications for such events range from simple aggregate disclosure to detailed reporting where the name of every legislator attending must be listed.
You can directly submit questions for this feature, and we will select those most appropriate and answer them here. Send your questions to: marketing@stateandfed.com.
(We are always available to answer questions from clients that are specific to your needs, and we encourage you to continue to call or e-mail us with questions about your particular company or organization. As always, we will confidentially and directly provide answers or information you need.) Our replies to your questions are not legal advice. Instead, these replies represent our analysis of laws, rules, and regulations.
May 18, 2011 •
New Ethics Rules for Chicago
On Monday, May 16th Mayor Rahm Emanuel signed three new executive orders and reissued three additional executive orders.
The three reissued executive orders include a ban on political contributions to the mayor from the owners of companies that do business with the city, an order requiring city employees to comply with hiring oversight rules, and an order reaffirming that it is the duty of every city employee to report wrongdoing to the inspector general.
The first new executive order prohibits new appointees from lobbying city government for two years after leaving the administration, bars lower level employees from lobbying the departments or agencies in which they work, and bars appointees to boards and commissions from lobbying the board or commission on which they sit.
The second new executive order protects city employees from being pressured to give gifts or make political contributions to their superiors.
The third new executive order prohibits city lobbyists from making political contributions to the mayor.
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.