One of the federal lobbying registration thresholds for organizations employing in-house lobbyists has been increased. Now, an organization employing in-house lobbyists whose total expenses in connection with lobbying activities do not exceed and are not expected to exceed $14,000 in the quarterly period is not required to be registered. The previous level was $13,000. This threshold amount is adjusted every four years based on the Consumer Price Index.

The threshold amount for lobbying firms remains the same. A lobbying firm or individual lobbyist whose total income for matters relating to lobbying activities on behalf of a particular client does not exceed or is not expected to exceed $3,000 in the quarterly period is exempt from registration with respect to such client.

Other determinations for registration include whether a lobbyist is an individual who, with respect to a particular client, makes more than one lobbying contact and whose lobbying activities constitute at least 20% of the individual’s time in services for that client over any three-month period.

Aurora City Council member Angela Lawson is sponsoring an ordinance to create lobbyist registration and reporting requirements.

Lawson’s sweeping proposals would require lobbyists to register their clients and income with the city and submit quarterly, detailed reports on their activities and financial motivations.

Lobbyists who do not comply with the regulations could lose the ability to influence city officials on matters from development to zoning rules, permits and city contracts, face possible expulsion and up to $2,500 fines per charge.

The rules would apply not only to lobbyists and the City Council but also to the city manager, staff, board and commission members, and presiding judges, among others. The city clerk would be responsible for deciding if rules have been violated and handing down judgments.

City Council members will review the proposal during their next regular meeting on March 8.

In furtherance of transparency, Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi passed an administrative order establishing registration and reporting requirements and creating new prohibitions for lobbyists and lobbyist firms engaging with the House of Representatives.

Administrative Order 2021-03 directs the House to create and maintain a registry in which persons and entities must register and report detailed information related to their lobbying efforts.

The administrative order establishes disclosure requirements in which lobbyists and lobbying firms must, at the beginning of contact with the House, provide the identity of the client or clients on whose behalf they are carrying out lobbying efforts.

No later than July 1 and December 31 of each year, the order establishes that every person or entity registered as a lobbyist must submit a report before a Public Notary.

The order also prohibits natural or legal persons from working as a lobbyist while a contract with the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is in force and bans any natural or legal person who has been convicted or has pleaded guilty in the state or federal forum, or in any other jurisdiction, from lobbying the House.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) announced additional time to file registrations and reports due in January 2021.

Any filing due in January will be considered timely filed if submitted by January 29, 2021.

The extension is in response to the breadth of changes to the lobbying regulations taking effect January 1, 2021, and the corresponding changes to the online filing system.

Additional guidance relating to upcoming registrations and verification of user profiles is expected soon.

The 2021-2022 Statement of Registration is expected to launch on December 16, 2020.

The Hawaii Ethics Commission administrative rules on gifts and lobbying are now live.

Additionally, optional lobbyist training sessions will take place on the mornings of January 6, 2021 and January 12, 2021 at 10 a.m.

Title 21 of the Hawaii Administrative Rules provides greater clarity on lobbyist registration and reporting requirements of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and memorializes longstanding ethics commission advice.

Noteworthy rule provisions include the requirement that expenditures are reported on an accrual basis, and a lobbyist registration exemption for individuals who work behind the scenes to draft testimony, research, and work under the direction of a registered lobbyist without directly communicating with legislative or executive branch officials.

Lobbyists interested in attending either of the training sessions may register at: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/ethicstraining_schedule/.

The threshold amount a lobbyist can earn to trigger lobbyist registration in Montana will increase.

The Montana Commissioner of Political Practices received approval for this increase to take place.

The threshold amount for 2021 is $2,650, effective January 1, 2021.

New Mexico lobbyists and lobbyist employers may begin registering and paying their registration fees in the new Campaign Finance Information System available at: https://login.cfis.sos.state.nm.us/#/index.

Both lobbyists and lobbyist employers will be required to register and create an employer/employee relationship to comply with the new system.

To help with the new system, the Secretary of State’s Office will hold live, online webinar classes with a thorough overview and demonstrations.

Morning and afternoon sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Monday, December 14 through Wednesday, December 16.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 404 into law, extending expiration dates for licenses issued by state agencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lobbyist registrations set to expire at the end of 2020 will remain active until July 1, 2021.

Any lobbyist who does not plan to continue lobbying activity in 2021 must log in and terminate engagement in OLAC.

The new renewal registration window will open in late spring 2021.

All registered lobbyists will receive follow-up information regarding specific dates from JLEC.

This extension is limited to lobbying engagements registered prior to November 22, 2020.

New lobbyists submit registrations in the usual manner, within 10 days of engagement.

This extension does not affect the deadline for activity and expenditure reports required to be filed electronically in OLAC by Monday, February 1, 2021.

Memphis City Council voted against adopting an ordinance requiring those lobbying the council to register with the city and name their clients.

The ordinance would have required lobbyists to register annually and pay a registration fee of $50.

The ordinance would have also subjected lobbyists to similar reporting requirements of those lobbying the Tennessee General Assembly and the Metro Nashville Council.

On October 23, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Congress to amend and expand the Foreign Agents Registration Act to compel lobbyists for Chinese companies to register as foreign agents.

The Chinese Communist Party Influence Transparency Act, introduced as identical bills in both houses of Congress by Rep. Mike Gallagher and Sen. Tom Cotton, would repeal the exemption from registration for persons, acting as agents of a covered Chinese business organization, providing private and nonpolitical representation of trade and commercial interests.

House Bill 8663 and Senate Bill 4843 would also remove the exemption for persons filing disclosure reports under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 in connection with the representation of business organizations organized under the laws of, or having their principal place of business in, the People’s Republic of China. The bill defines a covered Chinese business organization as an entity designated by the Attorney General as subject to the extrajudicial direction of the Chinese Communist Party or an entity organized under the laws of, or having its principal place of business in, the People’s Republic of China (including any subsidiary or affiliate of such an entity).

The legislation would become effective 180 days after enactment.

On October 15, the Canadian territory of Yukon’s new and first lobbying law came into force with the online Yukon Lobbyist Registry becoming live. Bill No. 23, the Lobbyists Registration Act, received Royal Assent on November 22, 2018, but only came into effect this year.

Consultant lobbyists and in-house lobbyists are required to register. Registration is required for individuals communicating with a public office holder, directly or through grassroots communications, in attempts to lobby. Additionally, a consultant lobbyist is required to register when arranging a meeting between a public office holder and any other person for the purposes covered by the Act.

There are two revolving door provisions in the Act. For the six-month period after ceasing to be in office, a former public office-holder is prohibited from lobbying as a consultant lobbyist, but he or she is not prohibited from immediately lobbying as an in-house lobbyist. Additionally, a consultant lobbyist is prohibited from becoming an employee of Yukon’s public service for six months after terminating her or her lobbyist registration. Penalties for violations of the Lobbyists Registration Act include fines up to $25,000 for the first violation and up to $100,000 for each subsequent violation.

As of October 16, the lobbyist registry does not have any registered lobbyists.

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics announced the 2020 lobbying training schedule.

The virtual training will cover ethics rules, registering, and filing expense reports with the Board of Ethics.

At this time, it is not mandatory to attend one of the 2020 lobbying trainings.

However, attendance at a training will be credited when the mandatory training provision takes effect for registered entities.

Registration for the lobbying training can be accomplished at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqd-6srj0tHdGweXo4WfNtm4z9H7yiRooO.

Questions regarding the schedule or training may be directed to the Board of Ethics at Lobbying@phila.gov or BOE.Training@phila.gov

Leon County, Florida commissioners have approved an ordinance updating the county’s lobbying regulations.

The new ordinance updates the registration and reporting process by removing the notary requirement and developing an online registration form.

The ordinance also defines a clear process for enforcement and adds new penalties for violations of the lobbyist regulations.

A public hearing will be held on the new ordinance on October 13.

The threshold for being required to register as an in-house lobbyist will soon be lower. Bill 195, The Lobbyists Amendment Act, 2019, which received Royal Assent this summer, will come into force once the order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council is given.

The bill reduces the threshold for registration as an in-house lobbyist from 100 to 30 hours; prohibits gifts to public office holders from lobbyists, except for gifts valued at less than $200 and that are given as an incident of the protocol or social obligations normally accompanying the duties or responsibilities of office of the public office holder; and grants power to the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations concerning gifts and personal benefits.

The bill outlines a gift or personal benefit to include: an amount of money, if there is no obligation to repay it; a service, hospitality or property, including the use of property, that is provided without charge or for a charge that is less than its commercial value; and any other prescribed gift or personal benefit.

Additionally, Bill 195 directs the Lobbying Act not apply when persons are acting in their official capacity as officers, directors or employees of a non-profit organization, association, society, coalition or interest group, any of which has both a charitable purpose and fewer than five employees, if the lobbying activity performed by the officers, directors and employees combined is less than 30 hours annually.