The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics has issued a “Dear Colleague” Letter, and the U.S. House Committee on Ethics has issued a Pink Sheet advisory, reminding Members and staff of the rules applicable to attending events...more
While its full potential is still untapped, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to play a greater role during the 2024 elections and future grassroots advocacy efforts. Here are seven tips corporations and others should...more
The Oregon state legislature has passed, and the governor has signed, legislation that will impose contribution limits beginning in January 2027. This will be the first time Oregon limits political contributions in the state....more
With the 2024 election in full swing, political actors are using artificial intelligence in unprecedented ways. Join us as we explore the transformative potential of AI in shaping electoral strategies while learning about how...more
2/29/2024
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During the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, the efficacy of the American electoral process and the 1887 Electoral Count Act was drawn to the forefront of the public consciousness. To many, the century-plus old law...more
On January 18, the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) launched a new online ethics training. Previously, only Individual Lobbyists were required to complete training. Now, all Individual...more
Now that the 2022 election is in the books, it is the perfect opportunity for corporation and association PACs to take stock of the previous election cycle and also to prepare for the upcoming year and new election cycle....more
Less than a month before Election Day 2022, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that two Illinois state campaign finance provisions imposing limits on judicial candidates likely...more
With the midterm elections quickly approaching, political giving in the states is ramping up. State campaign finance law is constantly changing, and entities must be aware of the current requirements prior to making...more
A corporation will pay a $7,500 civil fine for deducting $181.15 in unauthorized political contributions to a labor union’s PAC from workers’ paychecks.
Corporations with a unionized workforce can process payroll...more
On March 22, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed H.B. 90 into law, which notably amended the state’s lobbying law to now require “foreign agents” to register as lobbyists. A “foreign agent” means an individual who engages in...more
New York’s recently passed budget bill is set to replace the state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) with a new Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, effective July 8....more
Imagine you own a local bakery. A woman dressed in a suit walks into your store and orders a platter of pastries. You chat while preparing the order. The woman mentions her office is celebrating the retirement of a colleague....more
Effective January 1, federal lobbyist registration in Germany is mandatory, whereas, previous registration had been voluntary. Under the new law, lobbying is defined broadly to include direct and indirect attempts to...more
On September 21, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office issued a letter confirming that there is no registration exception for in-house employees whose lobbying activity is incidental to their primary job duties. New...more
On October 8, the Illinois governor signed SB0539, which will significantly amend the state’s lobbying law effective January 1, 2022.
Most notably, state lobbying law will now apply to all local jurisdictions with...more
A Minnesota legislator’s recent misfortune with a power saw serves as a reminder that ethics rules apply to lobbyists in their private, as well as professional, lives. After a state representative accidentally cut off three...more
Starting this year, Pennsylvania is requiring all registered lobbyists and lobbying firms to file an Annual Equity Report. The report must disclose: (1) how much equity, as a percentage, the lobbyist/lobbying firm holds or...more
Effective August 1, candidates in Louisiana will be permitted to accept unlimited contributions directly from political action committees. Sponsored by State Senator Ed Price, SB 4 was signed into law by Governor John Bel...more
As of March 18, 2021, lobbyist registration is no longer limited to in-person activities in Nevada. Now, a lobbyist means a person who “communicates directly with a member of the Legislative Branch on behalf of someone other...more
As previously reported in Election Law News, Alaskans narrowly passed Ballot Measure 2 in the 2020 general election. This measure implements an open primary and ranked choice voting in the state, along with other electoral...more
In the first hours of his new Administration, President Joseph R. Biden issued a new Executive Order (the Order) on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel. The Order includes an Ethics Pledge that every executive...more
Corporations, especially those engaged in procurement lobbying, must be mindful of not just state, but also local, lobbying laws. Failure to comply with local lobbyist registration and reporting requirements can be costly....more
State lobbying law is a changing landscape that lobbyists and their employers should keep up to date on in order to ensure legal compliance. Some recent changes in state lobbying law include the following: The Hawaii Ethics...more
I. Biden-Harris Transition Team Ethics Plan and Code of Ethical Conduct - During his candidacy, President-elect Joe Biden was the first presidential candidate to be statutorily obligated to file a transition team ethics plan...more