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
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
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
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
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
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