On July 27, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would implement a lifetime ban on Members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists.

The Close the Revolving Door Act, introduced by Sen. Jon Tester, aims to provide greater controls and restrictions on revolving door lobbying.

Additionally, the bill would ban lobbyists from working for members of Congress and Committees with whom they had a substantial lobbying contact in the previous six years; create a website entitled lobbyists.gov for searchable disclosures on lobbying activities; and increase penalties for violating the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) from $200,000 to $500,000.

Lobbying firms paying former members of Congress or senior congressional staff as employees, contractors, or for consulting services would have increased disclosure requirements under the LDA.

“I came to the Senate to fight for working families and defend our Montana way of life, and I don’t think any Member of Congress should cash out on the privilege of public service,” said Tester in his press release.

On September 29, the United States Senate passed the Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act.

The legislation, Senate Bill 4254, amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require those registering as federal lobbyists include in their disclosures “the name and address of each government of a foreign country (including any agency or subdivision of a foreign government, such as a regional or municipal unit of government) and foreign political party, other than the client, that participates in the direction, planning, supervision, or control of any lobbying activities of the registrant.”

The bill, which passed by unanimous consent, next moves to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Louisiana lawmakers adjourned the 2022 regular session sine die on the evening of June 6.

During the session, legislators balanced the budget as well as spending related to education, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.

Trigger language to Louisiana law will end abortion in the state if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Legislation was also drafted to lower the cost of insulin, help hurricane victims deal with their insurance companies and landlords, reform the criminal justice system, and help rural communities and small businesses.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting dates.

The Oregon Legislature adjourned after their one-day special session.

Lawmakers passed a $215 million emergency rental assistance bill, with $100 million earmarked to immediately assist the looming eviction crisis.

Policymakers also passed a bill to combat illegal cannabis sellers, assist in Afghan refugee resettlement, and establish a $100 million fund to assist Oregonians impacted by last year’s harsh summer.

Wisconsin lawmakers introduced seven bills to address a campaign finance system perceived to favor wealthy donors.

The proposed campaign finance reforms include lower contribution limits for statewide candidates; a broader definition of political action committee; a prohibition on making expenditures for certain mass communications if coordinated with a candidate; a prohibition on corporate or labor organization contributions to a segregated fund; and disclosure of donor employment information for cumulative contributions of more than $100.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation changing the vendor disclosure due date.

Effective immediately, Senate Bill 581 requires the Vendor Payment Program financial backer disclosure to be filed on August 1 of each year for the previous fiscal year.

The former deadline was July 1.

The New York State Legislature adjourned on June 11.

During the legislative session lawmakers introduced and failed to pass bills to ban corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and limited liability partnerships from making political contributions; create a restricted period for vendor contributions; and increase required lobbyist disclosures of political contributions and business relationships with public officials.

The Senate is expected to return later this summer regarding the confirmation of state appointments.

The Assembly is expected to continue an impeachment inquiry through the summer months regarding sexual harassment allegations made against the governor.

Montana’s Supreme Court has held Senate Bill 140 is constitutional.

SB 140 allows the governor to appoint judges directly, abolishing the judicial nomination commission.

Cincinnati City Council failed to adopt an ordinance proposing additional campaign finance disclosure.

Ordinance 2021-01549 would have required the mayor and City Council members to report contributions above $200 within 48 hours.

Only Council Member Greg Landsman, who introduced the proposal, voted to adopt the ordinance.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to make the District of Columbia the 51st state of the United States of America.

House Bill 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, would admit the District of Columbia into the union on an equal footing with the other states. If passed, the mayor of the District of Columbia would issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two senators and one representative.

The state would consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building. District territory excluded from the commonwealth would be known as the Capital and be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government’s authority over military lands and specified other property.

Additionally, the new state would be prohibited from imposing taxes on federal property except as Congress permits.

House Bill 51 refers to the new state’s name as “State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.” The bill also establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the president, Congress, the District, and commonwealth leaders on the transition.

Legislation aimed at reforming U.S. campaign finance, lobbying, and ethic laws is being reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 1, For the People Act 2021, is a sweeping 791-page bill incorporating much of H.R. 1 introduced in 2019 by the last Congress. That bill passed the House in the previous Congress but never got a vote in the U.S. Senate.

Among the changes in the bill, H.R. 1 restructures the Federal Election Commission and amends federal conflict of interest and lobbying laws. Introduced by Rep. John Sarbanes, the bill requires enhanced disclosure of donors making political contributions, creates a multiple matching system for small donations for political campaigns, and amends rules governing super PACs. If passed, the bill also requires presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns, prohibits partisan gerrymandering, increases oversight over election vendors, creates an automatic voter registration across the country, and changes registration requirements for lobbyists and foreign agents.

Another bill reintroduced is H.R. 244, Executive Branch Conflict of Interest Act, which expands and establishes new prohibitions related to conflicts of interest involving certain federal government employees, prohibits a federal government employee from accepting a bonus from a former private sector employer for entering government service, and increases lobbying restrictions to two years for certain senior officials. H.R. 244 also prohibits a procurement officer in the federal government from working for a company that received a contract overseen by the procurement officer during the officer’s last two years in government service.

Gov. Brad Little stated Wednesday he will call the part-time Legislature back into a special session during the week of August 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The special session could include how to conduct the November general election amid the pandemic.

Also a topic of discussion is legislation creating a liability shield for protection against lawsuits during declared emergencies such as the pandemic.

How a special session would work during the pandemic and how much it would cost is unclear.

Lawmakers would have to be in the Statehouse in Boise for their votes to count.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced a special legislative session to start on Tuesday, July 21.

The Legislature will reconvene to discuss bills relating to police reform, absentee ballots, telehealth insurance, and insulin drug costs.

Legislative leaders and Gov. Lamont have also discussed returning for a second special session in September to consider housing reform legislation.

Even with the Capitol closed and the legislative session suspended, Colorado lawmakers are working behind the scenes to craft legislation addressing COVID-19.

Lawmakers are considering a pay hike for Colorado National Guard members activated in response to the spread of the virus.

The Democratic majority in the House plans to prioritize continued downpayment of the debt owed to school districts.

Other conversations include how to provide immediate relief to businesses.

Industries eligible for relief include the retail and restaurant sectors, where most of the layoffs are occurring.

While the General Assembly temporarily recessed the legislative session to March 30, it is becoming increasingly unlikely the term will resume on that date.