June 29, 2011 •
Providence Lobbyist Registration Delay
City Accepting Information by E-Mail
Providence, Rhode Island will not have its online portal set up for lobbyist registrations by July 1, the date the new city local lobbying ordinance takes effect. However, the City Clerk will accept e-mail registrations containing the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and lobbyist’s employer’s identification.
No registration fee will be due or accepted until the online portal becomes available. After the online portal becomes available, the City Clerk will contact individuals to complete the registration process.
The registration information can be e-mailed to astetson@providenceri.com.
June 27, 2011 •
Bill: Federal Lobbyists Redefined
Reporting Changes
A new bill introduced into Congress redefines lobbyist and increases lobbyist reporting requirements.
Representative Mike Quigley has introduced the Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act, which changes the definition of lobbyist by removing the exception of individuals whose lobbying activities account for less than 20 percent of the time engaged in lobbying over a three month period.
Lobbyists would be required to register online within five days of employment, as opposed to the current 45 day requirement. For each lobbying activity which engaged an official, a lobbyist would be required to report the date of the contact, the specific issue discussed, and identify those covered executive branch officials or Members of Congress contacted about the issue. If lobbying an employee of a Member of Congress, the Member’s name would also have to be reported. Political contributions by lobbyists to candidates would have to be reported quarterly instead of semi-annually.
The bill also creates a special unit for enforcing the lobbying disclosure laws called the Lobbying Disclosure Act Enforcement Task Force, whose primary responsibility would be investigating and prosecuting each case referred to the Attorney General.
June 27, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 27, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
FCC Report Finds Major Shortage in Local Reporting
Federal:
Donor Meeting at White House Draws Fire
FEC Asks Crossroads to Reveal Donors
Secret Election Financing Surges with Evasion of IRS Scrutiny
From the States and Municipalities:
California
Bill to Ban Event Tickets, Other Gifts to Lawmakers Gets New Life
Florida
Palm Beach County Ethics Code Exemption Allows Free High-Priced Tickets for Public Officials
Georgia
With Ethics Chief’s Exit, Who’ll Step In?
Illinois
Chicago Puts Lobbyists’ Pay On-line
Massachusetts
House Republicans Recommend ‘Snitch Rule,’ Ethics Reforms
North Carolina
Legislating at Lightning Speed with Lots of Goofs
Oregon
Oregon House Rejects Bill That Would Cap Penalties for Campaign Finance Violations
Rhode Island
U.S. Representative to Pay R.I. $127,000 for Campaign Fund Error
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.
June 22, 2011 •
Illinois Changes Lobbyist Activity Reporting Requirements
Effective June 21, 2011, authorized agents do not have to complete the activity detail report as it pertains to lobbying activities not associated with a reportable expenditure.
Only lobbying activities that are associated with a reportable expenditure require the completion of the activity detail report.
The Illinois Secretary of State will be modifying the reporting process in the coming weeks to reflect this change. Activity detail reports for activity not associated with an expenditure that were previously filed do not need to be amended to reflect this change.
The reporting of lobbyist activity associated with a reportable expenditure remains unchanged.
Photo of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White courtesy of the Illinois Secretary of State website.
June 20, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 20, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Federal Election Commission Deadlocks on Greater 2012 Donor Disclosure
More Political Action Committees to Get ‘Super’ Powers?
U.S. Appeals Decision Overturning Ban on Corporate Donations to Candidates
Weiner Resigns in Chaotic Final Scene
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Complaint Filed against Secretary of State Scott Gessler
Connecticut
Ethics Dispute Drained Local Budget of More than $630,000
Georgia
Shake-Up at Ethics Commission as Top Staffers to Exit
Hawaii
State Drops Campaign Gift Appeal
Massachusetts
DiMasi Found Guilty on Seven of Nine Counts in Kickback Scheme
No Fault Found in House Incident
Nevada
Justices Rule on When Lawmakers Should Recuse from Issues
New York
Ethics Clears Legislative Hurdles
Report: Grassroots lobbying in N.Y. skyrockets since 2008
Pennsylvania
Lawyers, Chamber of Commerce Oppose City’s Broad, New Lobbying Disclosure Law
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Union Law That Cuts Bargaining Powers to Take Effect Following Supreme Court Ruling
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.
June 15, 2011 •
Pay Fines and File or No Lobbying in South Carolina
New Law
Lobbyists and lobbyist’s principals can no longer register, reregister, or continue to be registered in South Carolina if they have outstanding late filing penalties.
House Bill 3183, which Governor Nikki Haley recently signed into law, prohibits the State Ethics Commission from allowing delinquent lobbyists and lobbyist’s principals to participate in lobbying until the fines and filing have been remedied.
The bill also delineates what the fines and penalties are for late filing. Persons filing late are first fined $100 if a report is not filed within 10 days of the due date. After receiving notice by certified or registered mail that a required report has not been filed, there is a $10 a day fine for the first 10 days after receiving the notice. The fine increases to $100 a day for each additional day the required report is not filed, capping at $5,000.
If the report is still not filed, the offender faces an additional misdemeanor conviction with imprisonment or fines.
Flag of South Carolina courtesy of mapsof.net.
June 13, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – June 13, 2011
Here are highlights from State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
A Weiner Ethics Case Would Cover Uncharted Ground
Virginia Federal Judge Rejects Government Request to Reconsider on Donations
Democrat or Republican, National Party Committees Reap Campaign Riches from Registered Lobbyists
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Big Names in Alabama Politics Set for Bingo Trial Opening
District of Columbia
D.C. Attorney General: Council’s Thomas diverted public funds
Michigan
Koch-Backed Group’s Fake Eviction Notices Rile up Detroit
Nevada
Rory Reid to Pay $25,000 Fine in PAC Case
New York
Bill Not a Feast but Lunch is OK
Cuomo and Legislative Leaders Strike Deal on New Ethics Rules
N.Y. Finds a Growth Industry in Ethics Enforcement
Ohio
House Cozy with Charter School Lobby
Texas
Dallas City Council Rolls Back Some Changes to Ethics Ordinance
Washington
Former Evergreen Professor Fined $120,000 in Largest-Ever Ethics Penalty
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.
Bill Creates Joint Commission on Public Ethics and New Disclosure Requirements
The New York Governor’s Office has released the ethics bill created by the agreement between legislators announced last Friday. The bill, which had previously been titled the Clean Up Albany Act of 2011, will be known as the Public Integrity Reform Act.
Chiefly, the bill establishes an independent Joint Commission on Public Ethics and enhances disclosure requirements by requiring state employees to disclose income from outside sources and names of clients. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics will have jurisdiction over all elected state officials and their employees in the executive and legislative branches, as well as lobbyists.
The bill provides the Joint Commission on Public Integrity must create an online ethics training course for registered lobbyists with a specific curriculum regarding the public officers’ law and ethics to be completed every three years. Additionally, the bill requires the disclosure by lobbyists of any reportable business relationship of more than $1,000 with public officials.
The definition of “widely attended” event is altered to include any event where 25 or more people other than legislators, officials, or government employees attend and which is related to the attendee’s duties or which allows the public official to perform a ceremonial function. The bill also allows officials to accept food or beverage valued at $15 or less.
The bill increases penalties for violations of the filing requirements and contribution limits and provides for a special enforcement proceeding in the Supreme Court.
The bill must age three days after its introduction and then can be voted on by the Legislature. The Legislature will recess today until next Monday, making adoption possible next week.
June 7, 2011 •
Lobbyists’ Registration Act Introduced in New Brunswick
New Brunswick to Debate Lobbying Law in Legislative Assembly
Legislation has been introduced in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly providing for lobbyist registration and regulation.
Government House leader Paul Robichaud introduced Bill No. 43, the Lobbyists’ Registration Act, in response to a push by members of the Tory party for such a law following the discovery that Liberal party insiders were being hired to arrange meetings for energy companies bidding on provincial contracts.
Under the proposed legislation, lobbyists would be required to register, as well as name any companies they work for and the name of the ministers and departments met with. Lobbyists failing to register or making false or misleading statements would be fined up to $25,000 for a first offense and up to $100,000 for any subsequent offense.
The coat of arms for New Brunswick by Civvì on Wikipeida.
Oregon’s Legislature has been streaming videos on its website. Now you can view them on your mobile phone!
The Capitol Club, a lobbyist association in Oregon supplied the funding for the state’s Legislature to supply streaming video of hearings and sessions to mobile devices.
Read about what will now be offered and why the Capitol Club stepped up to help in Govtech.com’s article “Lobbyists Help Oregon Legislature Stream Video to Mobile Devices” by Sarah Rich from June 4.
June 6, 2011 •
“Clean Up Albany Act of 2011” Announced
Governor Cuomo and Legislative Leaders Reach Agreement on Comprehensive Ethics Reform Package
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and General Assembly leaders have reached an agreement regarding comprehensive ethics reform. The agreement titled the “Clean Up Albany Act of 2011,” creates a joint commission on public ethics to investigate violations of law by members of both the executive and legislative branches, oversee their financial disclosure requirements, and oversee lobbyists with newly expanded disclosure rules and definition of lobbying.
The act expands lobbying disclosure requirements, including the disclosure by lobbyists of reportable business relationships of more than $1,000 with public officials. It also expands the definition of lobbying to include advocacy to affect the introduction of legislation or resolutions. Additionally, the act calls for the state board of elections to issue new regulations clarifying disclosure requirements for independent expenditures.
Photo of Governor Cuomo by Pat Arnow on Wikipedia.
June 2, 2011 •
iPhone Lobbying is Here
Bono releases an app for his anti-poverty group.
We are always on the lookout for any news regarding social media as it relates to lobbying, campaign finance, and elections.
Roll Call published an article today about how Bono’s anti-poverty group called ONE campaign has released an app for iPhone users. The app allows anyone with an iPhone to contact their lawmakers and it gives them a text offering ideas of what to communicate.
Ambreen Ali’s article, “iPhone App Will Help You Lobby,” explores this new facet to the world of lobbying and advocacy.
How do you think social media and mobile technology will affect lobbying and grassroots advocacy? Let us know what you think!
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.
June 1, 2011 •
State and Federal Communications Expands Coverage
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations for political contributions, lobbying, and procurement lobbying to more municipalities, regional governments, and governmental organizations.
We have added three new jurisdictions for which our online clients will find comprehensive, timely, and accurate information that includes: complete calendar of reporting deadlines; critical statutory citations; extensive directories of contact information; summaries of each state law; detailed reference charts on goods and services contributions; highlights of every statute; copies of all required forms; and much more.
The new jurisdictions are:
- Doral, FL
- Henderson, NV
- Spokane, WA
The image of North America by Bosonic dressing on Wikipedia.
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.
