July 10, 2012 •
Hawaii Passes Law to Increase Government Participation
Revolving door provisions relaxed
Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie signed House Bill 2175 into law, exempting certain people from the state’s revolving door provisions.
In an effort to increase participation amongst the state’s experts and those with special knowledge, the law exempts members of a state task force from the revolving door provisions. A task force is a group which is created to study a specific problem for a specified period of time.
The law will take effect immediately.
Photo of Governor Abercrombie courtesy of Wikipedia.
June 11, 2012 •
Chicago Mayor Introduces Ethics Reform Amendment
Gift ban, reverse revolving door, code of conduct, and regulating PACs
Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced an ethics reform amendment to the city council on June 8. The amendment, based on the recommendations given to him by the Ethics Reform Task Force, would strengthen the gift ban, add a reverse revolving door provision, and increase the penalties for PACs who accept illegal contributions. The amendment also includes a code of conduct for city officials and employees, which is something the city has never had before.
The city council will now decide the fate of the mayor’s initiatives. The Ethics Reform Task Force will release its second set of recommendations in late July, this time focusing on the relationship between, and the key responsibilities of, the city’s ethics institutions.
Photo of Chicago skyline by mindfrieze on Wikipedia.
March 30, 2012 •
News You Can Use Digest – March 30, 2012
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush Escorted from House Floor for Wearing Hoodie in Honor of Trayvon Martin
Payday Lender Political Donors Hidden in Corporate Names
From the States and Municipalities:
Arizona
After Bowl Scandal, Many Arizona Legislators Still Want Tickets to Baseball Opener
California
Medco Settles California Pension Fund Kickback Case
Delaware
Lobbying Disclosure Bill Shines Critical Sunlight on Lawmaking Process
District of Columbia
D.C. Ethics Law Overhaul Hampered by Hiring Difficulties, Enforcement Duties
Georgia
‘Revolving-Door’ Powers Politics
Hawaii
Judge Confirms Hawaii Can’t Limit Independent Expenditures
Illinois
Employee Gift Ban Recommendation Still Has Few Takers
Iowa
New Mexico
New York
Lobbyists Reaping $220 Million Bonanza
Utah
How Utah’s Capitol Marches to a Mormon Beat
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.
March 26, 2012 •
Lobbying News Roundup
Gen X on K Street, the Obama staff revolving door, the latest news in Illinois lobbying reform, spending in Massachusetts and Minnesota, and more:
Federal
“Generation X joining K Street” by Jonathan Allen and Jennifer Martinez in Politico.
“Administration Staffers Head Out the Revolving Door” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.
In the States
Illinois: “Illinois Senate panel blocks lobbyist ethics legislation” by Shannon McFarland (Associated Press) in the Jacksonville Journal Courier.
Illinois: “Lobbying reforms buried in subcommittee” by Rick Miller in Capitol Fax.
Iowa: “Iowa’s lobbying free-for-all” by Jason Clayworth and Jeffrey Kummer in the Des Moines Register.
Massachusetts: “AP: Mass. health care 5-year lobbying topped $51M” by Steve LeBlanc (Associated Press) in Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
Minnesota: “$61M spent on lobbying in 2011” by Matt Herbert in Minnesota Daily.
March 21, 2012 •
Today’s Lobbying News Roundup
Revolving doors, spending on lobbying in Minnesota, and a new ethics bill in Missouri in the news:
“Revolving Door: Hill Staffers with Retiring Bosses Hit K Street” by Andrew Joseph in National Journal’s Influence Alley.
“Minnesota Capitol the recipient of $59 million lobbying effort” by Megan Boldt in the Grand Forks Herald.
“Business groups spent $14 million lobbying Minn. Legislators” by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
“Democrats propose new Missouri ethics bill” by Elizabeth Crisp in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. According to the article, “the bill would restrict the amount lawmakers and their immediate family members could accept from lobbyists, prohibit lawmakers from working as paid political consultants while in office and limit the investment of campaign contributions to interest-bearing checking or savings accounts.”
“Utah’s revolving door keeps spinning out lobbyists” by Britny Mortensen in The Salt Lake Tribune.
January 23, 2012 •
New Mexico’s Governor Calls for Revolving Door Restrictions
Proposed two-year ban on lobbying for former lawmakers
Governor Susana Martinez has endorsed legislative efforts to impose a two-year ban on lobbying for lawmakers. The forthcoming bill may also include civil or criminal penalties if legislators took lobbying jobs sooner than prescribed. All appointees of Governor Martinez have agreed to two-year bans on becoming lobbyists after leaving the position, but she wants formal legislation to hold state lawmakers to the same standard.
State Senator Dede Feldman has proposed Senate Bill 103, which would bar former legislators from lobbying for a shorter one-year period after leaving office. Currently, New Mexico’s lawmakers can quit their office and immediately begin lobbying, just as former state senator Kent Cravens did in September.
Photo of Governor Susana Martinez courtesy of the New Mexico State Government.
January 5, 2012 •
Henderson, Nev. Enacts New Lobbying Law
Revolving Door and Increased Disclosure Addressed
HENDERSON, NEVADA: The Henderson City Council has passed lobbyist and revolving door regulations. Lobbyists must now file a disclosure form after each communication with a city official or employee.
Additionally, elected officials and employees must wait one year after leaving office or employment before they can lobby on behalf of a private person or business.
The new provisions go into effect on Friday January 6, 2012.
October 4, 2011 •
California Senator to Propose Revolving Door Expansion
Board Members to be affected
State Senator Lou Correa is planning to introduce legislation that would make members of the public who are appointed to serve on boards subject to the state’s revolving door provision.
The legislation would require that all board members wait 12 months after terminating board service before lobbying their former colleagues.
Photo of the California Senate chamber by David Monniaux on Wikipedia.
September 19, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 19, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
New Rule Would Expand Tight Obama Lobbying Rules to All Federal Workers
‘Revolving Door’ of Employment between Congress, Lobbying Firms, Study Shows
Without Scandal, Lobby Reform Stalls
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Gessler to Help Raise Cash to Pay off GOP Fine
Delaware
Kentucky
Gubernatorial Candidates Back ‘No Cup of Coffee’ Rule
Massachusetts
Disgraced DiMasi Is Given Eight Years
Montana
Conservative Groups File New Lawsuit over Montana Election Laws
New Jersey
Report: Serious flaws in N.J. ‘pay-to-play’ law
New York
Former Hospital Chief Convicted of Offering Bribes to Albany Legislators
North Carolina
Groups Seek to Overturn N.C. Campaign Spending Law
South Dakota
Ethics Rules for State Workers Weak, Critics Say
Texas
Anita Perry’s Salary Comes Indirectly from Governor’s Backers
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.
September 13, 2011 •
LegiStorm Publishes New Study about Revolving Door
Results give more complete numbers than previous studies
In T.W Farnam’s aticle, “Revolving door of employment between Congress, lobbying firms, study shows,” the Washington Post reports that LegiStorm has published a new study revealing how many U.S. lawmakers and their staffers have left to become lobbyists.
The published totals are 400 lawmakers and 5,400 staffers in the last ten years. LegiStorm also reveals the reverse process: 605 lobbyists have moved into positions as congressional staffers.
You can find LegiStorm’s announcement on their blog here.
May 13, 2011 •
Revolving Door Loophole Exposed
West Virginia’s ethics panel decided the law does not include independent contractors.
The West Virginia Ethics Commission has concluded it cannot prevent an employee of the Legislature from avoiding the state’s newly passed “revolving door” ban if he changes his status from an employee to an independent contractor before the law takes effect on July 1, 2011.
Under the pending law, elected officials and certain high-ranking unelected employees will be forbidden from acting as lobbyists for one year after leaving public employment. The commission decided this law does not include independent contractors.
This decision comes after a request for an opinion by legislative counsel Donnie Adkins. The commission said it “is troubled” by the proposed maneuver but would be unable to bring him within the revolving door ban as an independent contractor.
The West Virginia Ethics Commission offers the opinion on their website.
Here is the Charleston Gazette’s coverage in the story, “Ethics loophole a cause of concern” by Phil Kabler.
April 14, 2011 •
West Virginia Ethics Bill Passes
Acting Governor Tomblin signed House Bill 2464 into law late last week.
This ethics bill, which takes effect on July 1, 2011, prohibits members of the state legislature, elected executive branch officials, agency heads, and certain other appointed officials from acting as lobbyists for one year after leaving office.
Additionally, this legislation will require a public official who files financial disclosure statements to reveal employment information and other “business interests” of his or her spouse.
The spousal disclosures are designed to shine light on additional conflicts of interest an official may have even without a personal stake in a matter.
Photo of the West Virginia State Capitol by Garkeith on Wikipedia.
March 7, 2011 •
Revolving Door Bill Introduced in Nevada
Two Year Cooling Off Period
A bill prohibiting public officials from lobbying the Nevada Legislature immediately upon leaving office has been introduced into the assembly. Currently, the state has no revolving door prohibitions and public officials may lobby as soon as they leave office.
Assembly Bill 184 requires a two year cooling off period before a former state legislator, governor, or other specified executive branch official may serve as a paid lobbyist. The bill allows for exceptions such as representing a local agency where the former official is currently employed and making formal appearances before the Legislature.
Photo of the Nevada State Legislature building by Dave Parker on Wikipedia.
January 27, 2011 •
News from the Mississippi Legislature
They Will Consider Stopping ‘Revolving Door’ for Four Year Period
House Bill 44, a bill regarding ‘revolving door’ legislation, has been introduced in the Mississippi legislature. According to the bill, a member of the legislature would not be permitted to engage in or perform any function which would require registration as a lobbyist for a period of four years following the expiration of his or her legislative term. If passed, the bill would take effect July 1, 2011.
Photo of the Mississippi State Capitol by Charlie Brenner on Wikipedia.
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