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House approves bill that strengthens lobbying law

HARRISBURG — A bipartisan proposal to increase fines and further crack down on those violating the state’s lobbying law is on its way to the state Senate.

A unanimous vote by the state House of Representatives Friday afternoon advanced House Bill 1175, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, which seeks to implement a firmer grasp on those not complying with lobbying disclosure requirements and punish any wrongdoing with higher penalties.

“People are wary of the government that serves them. If they cannot believe in the process, they will never believe in the merits of legislation,” Cutler said in a press release issued after Friday’s House vote. “Unlawful acts committed by lobbyists destroy trust, and those who are guilty should pay for their violation of the public trust.”

Currently, if an entity that meets the requirements to register as a lobbyist fails to file or report as such, it will be fined $2,000. The legislation would double this fine to $4,000.

Additionally, those who fail to register currently are fined $50 each day they go unregistered. This bill would double the fine to $100 per day after nine days of failure to pay, and once again double it to $200 after 19 days of failure to pay.

The bill would also update how lobbyists file with the Department of State, requiring all filings to be put on the department’s website within seven days of their receipt.

The department defines a lobbyist as “any individual, association, corporation, partnership, business trust or other entity that engages in lobbying on behalf of a principal for economic consideration.” While any entity falling under this definition is technically required to register with the state, there is a list of exemptions.

These exemptions include any entity that doesn’t exceed $2,500 in lobbying expenses in any quarterly report, anyone who doesn’t engage in lobbying for any more than 20 hours during a reporting period and anyone who doesn’t receive economic consideration for their actions.

The department oversees all lobbyist registration and largely approves of the bill, according to press secretary Wanda Murren.

“The Department of State has taken a position of support for the legislation. Our primary focus is the electronic filing requirements, which should enhance public transparency and awareness.”

However, some lobbying organizations, such as the Pennsylvania Association of Government Relations, have their reservations about the bill.

PAGR president Mark Richards said his association doesn’t have an official position on the legislation, but he expressed some concerns.

“We want everyone to follow and respect the lobbying disclosure regulations,” Richards said. “The reservation that we have is that the Department of State has trouble keeping their records straight.”

The organization has some “misgivings” on the possibility of lobbyists being held accountable for mistakes the department may make in their filing system, according to Richards.

“A lot of time their records aren’t accurate. They will have someone registered as a lobbyist when they haven’t been one for years,” he said.

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