California State Senator Leland Yee has formally announced plans to introduce legislation to raise the lobbyist registration fees upon commencement of the 2012 legislative session.

The money raised by the increased fees would be used to finance maintenance and upgrades to CAL-ACCESS, the state transparency database for lobbying and campaign finance filings. CAL-ACCESS has been down since the end of November.

Federal:

FEC Quashes New Disclosure Rules

Super PACs: The bad cops of 2012

From the States and Municipalities:

Alaska

Pebble Opponent Fined for Flying Candidates to Villages

Arizona

Arizona Prosecutor Won’t Charge Politicians Who Took Free Tickets, Trips from Fiesta Bowl

California

California Lobbyists Write Checks to Legislators Running for Congress

Colorado

Gessler, Lawmakers Clash on Campaign Finance Deadlines

Connecticut

Draft Report Renews Fears about Watchdogs’ Autonomy

District of Columbia

D.C. Council Overhauls Ethics Laws

Illinois

Donor to Madison County Judge Says Contribution Looks Bad, But Isn’t

Kentucky

Ex-Lobbyist Jack Abramoff to Speak at Kentucky Legislative Ethics Session

Maryland

Baltimore County Council Scales Back, Passes Ethics Reform Bill

Utah

Utah Lawmaker Resigning Due to Fundraising Ban

Washington

Firm Agrees to Big Fine over Tactics in Political Campaign

Wisconsin

State Elections Board Should Be Replaced, Assembly GOP Leader Says

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.

Q:  I’m a registered lobbyist in many different states.   I’ve noticed some states have badge requirements.  Am I really required to wear a badge? 

A:  The 2012 registration season is upon us.  As legislative sessions commence in various states, it is important to take stock of your various lobbyist registration requirements.   As you probably know, it is important to timely file your registration renewal.  However, there are other auxiliary requirements you must mind before you step onto capital grounds, such as your jurisdiction’s training and badge requirements.

The short answer to your question is a resounding yes—in some jurisdictions, wearing your badge is required to engage in lobbying activity.  In some states, you are unable to complete your registration, or file lobbyist disclosure reports unless you pick up your name badge.   Some states may require a personal visit to have your picture taken.  For example, in Georgia, upon initial registration, you must visit the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission to have your photo taken for your badge.  For quick reference, here is a list of states where badges and/or name tags are required:

• Connecticut
• Georgia
• Kansas
• Maine
• Missouri
• North Dakota
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Nevada
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Wyoming

However, in some jurisdictions, although wearing a badge is encouraged, it is not absolutely required.  These states include Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

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.

The bill, HB1080, also includes strict limits on campaign contributions and a ban on legislators working as political consultants.

Kander believes the gifts, along with six-figure campaign donations, allow special interests to gain improper influence.

The bill would limit campaign contributions to $500 for House races, $1,000 for the Senate and $2,000 for statewide elections.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a Wisconsin law that set limits on contributions to groups that independently spend on political speech and permanently enjoined enforcement of the law.

The appeal was brought by the political action committee of Wisconsin Right to Life, which previously won a temporary injunction against enforcing the law during recall elections earlier this year.

The court found that after Citizens United v. FEC, W.S. §§ 11.26(4) is unconstitutional to the extent that it limits contributions to committees engaged solely in independent spending for political speech.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission has approved changes to the gift regulations which will take effect on January 1, 2012.

Changes to the regulations include the ability for public officials to accept gifts from lobbyists without disclosure if a dating relationship exists.

Additionally, officials will be able to accept tickets to sporting events if the officials are attending the event to perform a ceremonial duty.

In such circumstances, the gifts are to be reported by the agency and not the official.

Federal:

Gingrich, Romney Campaigns Count on Lobbyists to Pay the Bills

Occupy D.C. Protesters Shut Down K Street

Stephen Colbert Gets Love at FEC

From the States and Municipalities:

Alabama

Alabama Ethics Law Limits What Students Can Give Teachers; Homemade Cookies OK, Hams Not Allowed

California

California Ethics Agency Relaxes Rules on Gifts to Politicians

California

Watchdog Agency Fines Former Pinole Councilman $111,500 for Ethics Violations

District of Columbia

D.C. Council Tentatively Approves Ethics Reform Bill

Georgia

Fines Levied on Georgia Politicians Reported Reduced Because of Notification Costs

Illinois

Blagojevich Hit with 14-Year Prison Sentence

Maryland

Jack Johnson, Former Prince George’s Executive, Sentenced to Seven Years in Corruption

Maryland

Rule Would Allow Campaign Donations by Text Message

Minnesota

Minnesota Ads Discussing Gay Marriage Approved For Less Financing Disclosure

Missouri

Missouri Politicians Enjoyed World Series Thanks to Lobbyists

Vermont

Vermont Court Imposes $10,000 Penalty in Campaign Finance Suit

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.

CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA: The Clark County commissioners passed a new lobbying policy on December 6, 2011.

The policy permits county commissioners who are public employees to return to their public jobs immediately after serving in an elected position.

The ethics amendment also prohibits commissioners from working as paid consultants or lobbyists on any issue coming before a public body in Clark County.

Federal:

FEC Leaves Unclear Path for Super PACs

Gingrich’s Work Shows Limits of U.S. Lobbying Law

From the States and Municipalities:

Arizona

Clean Elections Foes Say Public Funds Are Used to Influence Election Outcomes

Colorado

Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler Proposes Rewriting of State Campaign Finance Rules

Georgia

Ethics Commission Deals with Challenges of Change

Indiana

Marion County Judge Scolded for Fundraising Language

Kansas

Kansas Governor Says Staff Overreacted to Teen’s Tweet

Massachusetts

Columbus Center Developer Fined $1.6 Million

Nevada

Ethics Commission Party May Not Have Been So Ethical

New York

Second Bribe Case for Lawmaker Just Acquitted

North Carolina

Three Perdue Associates Indicted

South Carolina

S.C. Governor’s Chef Told to Reimburse State after Using Its Resources for Catering

Washington

Washington Rep. Hinkle Seeks Change to Fundraising Law

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.

Newt Gingrich claims he was not lobbying after he left public office. The charge by some that he was lobbying – and Gingrich’s response – has raised issues regarding whether one can tell the difference between a lobbyist and someone engaged in non-lobbying advocacy.

Read more about it in this Reuters article, “Gingrich’s work shows limits of U.S. lobbying law” by David Ingram.

Also: “Gingrich Says He Was Acting as a Citizen, Not a Lobbyist” by Jim Rutenberg in the New York Times.

Photo of Newt Gingrich by Gage Skidmore on Wikipedia.

State and Federal Communications is proud to be one of the Event Sponsors of the Women in Government Relations 2011 PACs, Politics & Grassroots Conference.

Compliance Manager Amber Fish Linke and Federal Compliance Associate Rebecca South are attending the conference today in Washington, D.C.

The overhaul split the commission staff into an administrative division, an investigative division, and a compliance-education division. In addition to these changes, a change in the reporting law has resulted in hundreds of delinquencies by local officials who are filing with the state for the first time. The agency has been required to devote time and resources to contact anyone in arrears by certified mail.

Meanwhile, larger investigations have stalled. Earlier this month the commission dismissed a case filed in 2004 because the statute of limitations had expired. A more recent complaint filed against a lobbyist who failed to timely file or register and who paid for a state official’s travel to Europe is now 10 months old and delayed.

Executive Secretary Holly LaBerge is expected to hire staff auditors and receive assistance from the attorney general’s office to aid prosecutorial efforts.

Federal:

Democratic Groups Stalled on Launch Pad

FEC Permits Small Donor Channeling

Religious Lobbying Groups Multiply on Capitol Hill

South Jersey Congressman Spent $9,000 from Campaign Funds on Donor’s Wedding

From the States and Municipalities:

California

New Chair of Campaign Finance Watchdog Draws Strong Reactions

Connecticut

WFP Director Fined For Lobbying Without Badge

District of Columbia

D.C. Council to Consider Ethics Reform Bill

Illinois

Tony Rezko Sentenced to 10½ Years: Former Blagojevich fundraiser convicted of corruption

Massachusetts

Bump Knocked for Fundraising Letter

Mississippi

Campaigns Downplay Race, but Voters Don’t Follow Suit

Nevada

Trip to Brazil Raises Concerns about Lobbyists’ Access

Pennsylvania

City’s Lobbyist-Disclosure Program to Start in ’12

Washington

Right-Wing PAC Fights Campaign Disclosure

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.

GoLocalProv.com posted this article today: “RI Groups Have Spent Over $2.2 million on Washington Lobbyists in 2011” by Dan McGowan.

According to the article, “Rhode Island corporations, cities and towns, colleges and universities and non-profit organizations have spent more than $2.2 million this year on lobbyists in the nation’s capital, a GoLocalProv review of lobbyist reports shows.”