Gov. Larry Hogan signed House Bills 390 and 426 into law. Both bills amend the procurement code.

House Bill 390 requires business to file a public disclosure form if, during a calendar year, a business enters into contracts, leases, or other agreements with the state worth $200,000 or more.

House Bill 426 amends the dollar value of small procurements from $25,000 to $50,000.

Both bills will become effective on October 1, 2017.

Lobbying

“DOJ Deflects Calls for More Foreign Agents Act Transparency” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Kansas: “Who Are Kansas Lobbyists Taking to Dinner?” by Bryan Lowry and Kelsey Ryan for Kansas City Star

Texas: “Powerful Abbott Appointee’s Lobbying Sparks Blowback in Legislature” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

Maryland: “FBI Searches Republican Political Consulting Firm in Annapolis” by Fenit Nirappil, Josh Hicks, and Matea Gold for Washington Post

Ethics

“Trump Warning to Comey Prompts Questions on ‘Tapes’” by Peter Baker and Michael Shear for New York Times

District of Columbia: “Bowser Cabinet Official Probed Over Child’s School Placement” by Peter Jamison for Washington Post

Florida: “Ex-Florida Congresswoman Convicted of Taking Money Meant for Charity” by Matt Stevens for New York Times

Rhode Island: “Providence Council President Charged with Embezzlement” by Jennifer Bogdan for Providence Journal

Elections

“Trump Picks Voter ID Advocate for Election Fraud Panel” by Julie Hirschfeld Davis for New York Times

Procurement

New York: “Government Watchdogs Push ‘Clean Contracting’ Reform in Albany” by Rachel Silberstein for Gotham Gazzette

Lawmakers passed two measures dealing with ethics and transparency during the regular legislative session that wrapped up in April.

House Bill 2319 will become effective July 5, requiring candidate committees for members of the Legislature to make additional disclosures of contributions and fundraising events while the Legislature is in session.

House Bill 2001 will become law July 7, requiring companies contracting with state agencies on contracts over $100,000 to make disclosures listing interested parties to the contract.

Bills that were not approved during the legislative session do not carry over.

On April 25, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Gary Peters introduced legislation designed to help small businesses registering to procure federal contracts.

Senate Bill 938, the Procurement Fraud Prevent Act, would require small businesses, when registering to contract with the federal government, to be notified of free federal program assistance when procuring federal contracts. These federal programs include the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, the Small Business Administration, and the Minority Business Development Agency.

“Our legislation would ensure that more small businesses are aware of the free tools and resources already available to them so they can focus on making competitive bids, growing their companies, and creating jobs in their communities,” said Collins in a press release.

Lobbying

“Spending on Lobbying Approached $1 Billion in First Quarter, Highest in 5 Years” by Kimberly Kindy for Washington Post

New York: “NYCLU’s Request for Donor Exemption Is Denied” by Chris Bragg for Albany Times Union

Oregon: “Ethics Commission: Gov. Brown’s budget adviser may lobby on her behalf” by Anna Marum for Portland Oregonian

Campaign Finance

“Trump Inauguration Admits Errors, Vows to Correct Numerous Faulty Donor Records” by Christina Wilkie for HuffPost

Montana: “State Campaign Finance Reform Bill Hits Snag in Senate” by Corin Cates-Carney for Montana Public Radio

Ethics

“Some Public Pensions Help Trump, Report Shows” by Julia Harte (Reuters) for U.S. News & World Report

Rhode Island: “Panel: Probable cause that R.I. Supreme Court justice Flaherty violated ethics code” by Katie Mulvaney for Providence Journal

Vermont: “Ethics Commission Bill Gains Steam in House” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org

Elections

“Slow Pace of Trump Nominations Leaves Cabinet Agencies ‘Stuck’ in Staffing Limbo” by Lisa Rein for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Alabama: “House Judiciary Committee Releases Final Report on Bentley Impeachment” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Procurement

California: “Blacklist of Border-Wall Contractors Advanced in California Senate” by Nick Cahill for Courthouse News Service

Lobbying

“Flynn’s Turkish Lobbying Linked to Russia” by Issac Arnsdorf for Politico

“‘What’s Upstream?’ Ad Campaign Funded by EPA Did Not Break Federal Lobbying Rules, Investigation Finds” by Joseph O’Sullivan for Seattle Times

Campaign Finance

“Bill Would Force Maine-Based PACs to Shed Light on Secretive Contributors” by Steve Mistler for Maine Public Radio

Ethics

“Flynn Probably Broke the Law by Failing to Disclose Foreign Payments, House Oversight Leaders Say” by Karoun Demirjian for Washington Post

“State Department Website Removes Article Touting History of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate” by Anne Gearan for Washington Post

“Sessions Vows to Enforce an Anti-Bribery Law Trump Ridiculed” by Charlie Savage for New York Times

“Greitens Says He Isn’t Responsible for Attack Ads Against Sen. Rob Schaaf” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Legislative Issues

“Tar Heel Republicans Override Gov. Cooper Veto in Latest Partisan Clash” by The Associated Press for Raleigh News & Observer

Procurement

“Contract with Company Connected to Epps Bribery Case Questioned” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Lobbying

Missouri: “Limit on Lobbyist Gifts Clears Missouri Senate Committee” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Campaign Finance

California: “Anti-Pot Group Faces Campaign Finance Violations from Its Work Opposing Marijuana Legalization in California” by Patrick McGreevy for Los Angeles Times

New York: “Investigations into De Blasio Spurred City Reform, Renewed Calls for State Changes” by Samar Khurshid for Gotham Gazette

Ethics

“Secret A.T.F. Account Paid for $21,000 Nascar Suite and Las Vegas Trip” by Matt Apuzzo for New York Times

Michigan: “Michigan Sen. Bert Johnson Indicted by Grand Jury” by Paul Egan and Kathleen Gray for Detroit Free Press

South Carolina: “New SC Ethics Law Does Not Go Far Enough, Critics Say” by Avery Wilks for The State

Elections

Texas: “Federal Judge Says Texas Voter ID Law Intentionally Discriminates” by Manny Fernandez for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Oklahoma: “LGBTQ Group’s Capitol Visit Prompts Mass Email About ‘Cross-Dressers in the Building’” by Randy Krehbiel for Tulsa World

Procurement

California: “Feds: Well-known Oakland contractors conspired to cheat government” by Malaika Fraley for East Bay Times

Gov. Hickenlooper recently signed House Bill 17-1051, modernizing the Colorado Procurement Code.

Among other changes, the bill exempts grants from the state bidding requirements and makes the Procurement Code of Ethics and Guidelines applicable to state procurement officials, end users, vendors, contractors, and interested third parties.

If the Legislature adjourns sine die on May 10, 2017, the bill will be effective August 9.

Photo of Gov. Hickenlooper By U.S. Department of Agriculture via Wikimedia Commons

A bill creating an independent ethics commission is advancing through the New Mexico legislature.

House Joint Resolution 8 (HJR 8) seeks to amend the state constitution and establish a state ethics commission. The ethics commission would oversee complaints against public officials, both in the legislative and executive branches, as well as lobbyist and government contractors.

If passed, the proposed amendment would be placed on the 2018 general election ballot for voter approval.

HJR 8 unanimously passed the House Local Government, Elections, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee and will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee next.

Campaign Finance

‘Soft Money’ Case a Test for Trump, Supreme Court by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

Missouri: Amid Greitens Mystery, Missouri Democrats Revive Inauguration Funding Disclosure Bill by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

Ethics

Americans Are Seriously Stressed Out About the Future of the Country, Survey Finds by Colby Itkowitz for The Washington Post

Democratic Party Chairs Struggle to Harness Activism Burst by Heidi Przybyla and Fredreka Schouten for USA Today

New Jersey: Judge: Bridge case complaint against Christie can proceed by David Porter (Associated Press) for ABC News

Pennsylvania: Closer Monitoring on Tap for City Council’s Ethics Training by Julia Terruso for Philadelphia Inquirer

South Carolina: SC Government Watchdog Crangle Takes New Post but Will Still Be Working General Assembly by John Monk for The State

Texas: Texas May Still Be Giving State-Funded Pension to Convicted Elected Officials by Jackie Wang for Texas Tribune

Lobbying

Hawaii: Tightening The Rules for Lobbyists by Ian Lind for Honolulu Civil Beat

Procurement

Arizona: Rival Sues Taser Over Loss of Phoenix Police Body-Cam Contract by Megan Cassidy for Arizona Republic

Campaign Finance

Alabama: “Gov. Robert Bentley Used Campaign Funds to Pay Rebekah Mason’s Lawyer” by Mike Cason for AL.com

Mississippi: “Campaign Finance Reports Go Digital” by Zachary Oren Smith for The Daily Journal

Ethics

“Trump May Be Skirting Transparency Law on Advisory Boards” by Josh Gerstein for Politico

“Vincent Viola, Nominee for Army Secretary, Drops Out” by Susanne Craig for New York Times

“Eric Trump’s Trip to Uruguay Cost Taxpayers $97,830 in Hotel Bills” by Amy Brittain and Drew Harwell for Washington Post

“Trust Records Show Trump Is Still Closely Tied to His Empire” by Susanne Craig and Eric Lipton for New York Times

New Mexico: “Competing Ethics Proposals Raise Questions of Secrecy and Oversight” by Trip Jennings for New Mexico In Depth

West Virginia: “Ethics Committee Oks Thrasher’s Blind Trust” by Phil Kabler for Charleston Gazette

Lobbying

Florida: “Florida’s Six-Year Lobbying Ban Would Be Strictest of All 50 States” by Steve Bousquet for Tampa Times

Oklahoma: “Capitol Influence: Lobbyists need more than money to succeed at state Capitol” by Barbara Hoberock and Randy Krehbiel for Tulsa World

Lobbying

Arizona: “How The Wrong Letterhead Exposed Phoenix’s Toothless Lobbying Rules” by Rob O’Dell and Dustin Gardner for Arizona Republic

Arkansas: “Bill Would Let Foreigners Foot Bill for Some Lawmaker Travel” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Online

Campaign Finance

South Carolina: “Upstate’s Judge’s Race Raises Judicial Ethics Question” by John Monk for The State

Washington: “Seattle Candidates Already on Hunt for ‘Democracy Vouchers’” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times

Ethics

“Trump Aide’s Deal with Chinese Firm Raises Fear of Tangled Interests” by Sharon LaFraniere, Michael Forsythe, and Alexandra Stevenson for New York Times

“Resistance from Within: Federal workers push back against Trump” by Juliet Eilperin, Lisa Rein, and Marc Fisher for Washington Post

Montana: “Campaign Regulator Can Remain Until Replacement Is Confirmed” by Matt Volz (Associated Press) for McClatchyDC.com

South Dakota: “South Dakota Senate Sends Ethics Law Repeal to Governor” by James Nord for Associated Press

West Virginia: “Potential Conflicts Also Issue for New WV Commerce Secretary” by Andrew Brown for Charleston Gazette

Elections

“Trump Rattles Statehouse Order” by David Siders for Politico

Procurement

“White House Says LGBT Protections for Federal Workers Will Remain” by Juliet Eilperin and Sandhya Somashekhar for Washington Post

Tech and Social Media

“Fatigued by the News? Experts Suggest How to Adjust Your Media Diet” by Christopher Mele for New York Times

The Commonwealth’s new treasurer, Joseph Torsella, banned the use middlemen to assist in connecting investment houses with public agencies.

Torsella, in his first act after being sworn in, issued a policy directive banning the continued or future use of placement agent agreements for contractors entrusted with the investment of public funds.

These placement agents are typically paid a finder’s fee for obtaining business for the investment house. Placement agents are also used to circumvent a federal pay-to-play law prohibiting investment houses from giving campaign donations.

Last year, former treasurer Pat McCord was embroiled in a bribery scandal with one such placement agent. Richard Ireland, a wealthy Chester County resident, is accused of offering McCord $500,000 in campaign donations in exchange for using his clients for investing.

Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley implemented a new ethics policy on Tuesday, January 10. His employees are now prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

The policy also prohibits staff from discussing business of the attorney general’s office with anyone attempting to lobby on behalf of a client, unless such person is a registered lobbyist. This includes licensed attorneys who fall within the scope of state lobbying law.

Hawley’s policy also establishes a pay-to-play provision prohibiting campaign contributions from those who have applied for or who have pending state contracts if the attorney general’s office has decision-making authority over the contract. Hawley’s ethics policy is effective immediately.