Chapter 451
2008 -- S 2892
Enacted 07/08/08
A N A C T
RELATING
TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY - LOBBYING
Introduced
By: Senators Sheehan, Cote, Lenihan, Perry, and Jabour
Date
Introduced: March 25, 2008
It is enacted by the General Assembly as
follows:
SECTION 1. Section
22-10-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-10 entitled "Lobbying"
is hereby amended to read as follows:
22-10-9.
Financial reports. -- (a) (1) Every person that engages any person to
act as a
lobbyist concerning legislative matters, and the
lobbyist, shall individually file with the secretary
of state a complete and itemized report of all
expenditures made for the purpose of lobbying,
including, but not limited to, advertising
expenses and all compensation paid to the lobbyists for
lobbying, and all campaign contributions in
excess of one hundred dollars ($100) to state and
municipal elected officials and state political
action committees. The report shall also include any
expenditure, gift, or honorarium of twenty-five
dollars ($25.00) or more for each occurrence
concerning any legislative or executive official
paid or incurred by the person who engages the
lobbyist and the lobbyist. The report shall
include the names of the individuals receiving or in
whose behalf the expenditures have been made,
and the reason, date, and place of the
expenditures.
(2) Any function
to which the entire membership of the general assembly, or of either
chamber or of any legally constituted
legislative committee or commission within the general
assembly, is invited, which is sponsored by any
person, corporation, or association having
engaged any person to act as a lobbyist, or by
any lobbyist, shall be deemed a lobbying activity,
and any funds expended or incurred for that
function shall be set forth in the financial report.
(3) The initial
report shall be filed by the person, corporation, or association having
engaged any person to act as a lobbyist and by
the lobbyist at the time of their initial registration,
and updated reports shall be filed with the
secretary of state by the fifteenth (15th) day of each
month thereafter, beginning in March until the earlier
of the termination of the lobbyist's
engagement or the final adjournment of
the general assembly. A final report shall be filed no later
than thirty (30) days after the earlier of
the termination of the lobbyist's engagement or the final
adjournment of the general assembly;
provided, however, in the year 2005, the first updated
report filed under this subsection shall be
filed by June 15th.
(4) All reports
shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and the reports
shall be open for public inspection.
(5) In the event
no compensation has been paid or received, and no expenses have been
paid or incurred, an annual statement to that
effect may be filed with the secretary of state in lieu
of the report form.
(b) During any
special session of the general assembly, every person, corporation, or
association that engages any person to act as a
lobbyist, and every lobbyist so engaged, shall
register within twenty-four (24) hours of the
commencement of the session. The initial financial
reports shall be filed within twenty-four (24)
hours after the date of the employment for the
special session, and updated reports shall be
filed every fourteen (14) days thereafter. The final
report shall be filed no later than seven (7)
days after the date of adjournment.
(c) Not later
than January 15 of each year, every lobbyist and every individual, firm,
business, corporation, association, partnership,
or other group which employed a lobbyist or
engaged any person to act as a lobbyist or who
was required to register with the office of
secretary of state during the preceding year
pursuant to section 22-10-6 shall file with the
secretary of state a complete and detailed
report of all money or anything of value which in the
aggregate exceeds two hundred fifty dollars
($250) provided or promised to any major state
decision-maker within the preceding calendar
year. "Money" and "anything of value" in this
subsection and in subsection (d) of this section
shall mean any fee, salary, commission, expense
allowance, forbearance, forgiveness, royalty,
rent, capital gain, gift, loan, reward, favors or
services, gratuities or special discounts, or
any other form of recompense that constitutes income
under the Federal Internal Revenue Code.
(d) Not later than
January 15 of each year, every individual, firm, business, corporation,
association, partnership or other group
specified in subsection (c) of this section shall provide an
exact copy of the report required in subsection
(c) of this section to the Rhode Island ethics
commission and to any major state decision-maker
to whom it provided or promised money or
anything of value which in the aggregate exceeds
two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the
preceding calendar year.
SECTION 2. Section
42-139-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-139 entitled
"Executive Branch and Public Corporation
Lobbying" is hereby amended to read as follows:
42-139-6.
Financial reports. -- (a) Every person, corporation, or association
that engages
any person to act as a lobbyist concerning
executive or public corporation matters, and the
lobbyist, shall individually file with the
secretary of state a complete and detailed report of all
compensation paid to the lobbyist for lobbying,
and all campaign contributions in excess of one
hundred dollars ($100) or more to state and
municipal elected officials and state political action
committees. The report shall include the total
amount expended for lobbying purposes, and an
itemization of any expenditure, gift, or honorarium
of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or more for
each occurrence paid or incurred by the person,
corporation, or association or lobbyist for the
specific purpose of promoting or opposing in any
manner action by members of the executive
branch or of public corporations. These reports
shall include the names of the persons receiving
or in whose behalf the expenditures have been
made, and the reason, time, and place of the
expenditures.
(b) The initial
report shall be filed by the person, corporation, or association having
engaged any person to act as a lobbyist and by
the lobbyist at the time of their initial registration,
and updated reports shall be filed with the
secretary of state semi-annually. The updated reports
shall be filed no later than thirty (30) days
after the end of each reporting period or if earlier, after
the termination of the lobbyist's engagement, and shall include
expenditures for the period from
January 1 through June 30, and July through
December 31, respectively or, if earlier, through the
date of termination of the lobbyist's engagement.
(c) All reports
shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and the reports
shall be open for public inspection.
(d) In the event no
compensation has been paid or received, and no expenses have been
paid or incurred, an annual statement to that
effect may be filed with the secretary of state in lieu
of the report form.
SECTION 3. This
act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01720
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