STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation Ban.

STATE ELECTIONS STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT COMMISSIONCOMMISSION

Lobbyist Contribution and Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation BanSolicitation Ban

Oct. 25 Special Session Public Oct. 25 Special Session Public Act 2005-05Act 2005-05

Public Financing Program for Statewide Public Financing Program for Statewide and General Assembly Candidates and General Assembly Candidates

State Contractor Contribution and State Contractor Contribution and Solicitation banSolicitation ban

Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation banban

Filing Repository moved to SEEC from Filing Repository moved to SEEC from SOTS SOTS

Commission StaffCommission Staff

Increasing from 13 to 28Increasing from 13 to 28 Many new responsibilitiesMany new responsibilities NewNew Information Information

Technology UnitTechnology Unit NewNew Public Financing Unit Public Financing Unit Legal and Investigative Legal and Investigative

UnitUnit Audit UnitAudit Unit

Lobbyist Contribution BanLobbyist Contribution Ban

No No communicator lobbyistcommunicator lobbyist may make a may make a contribution to:contribution to: 1) Candidates for statewide office or general 1) Candidates for statewide office or general

assembly or exploratory committees for those assembly or exploratory committees for those officesoffices

2) Political committees established or 2) Political committees established or controlled by those candidatescontrolled by those candidates

3) Legislative leadership and legislative caucus 3) Legislative leadership and legislative caucus committees, or committees, or

4) Party committees4) Party committees

Who’s Who - Who’s Who - DefinitionsDefinitions

Client Lobbyist – Client Lobbyist – expendsexpends or agrees to or agrees to expend $2,000 in a calendar yearexpend $2,000 in a calendar year

Communicator Lobbyist – Communicator Lobbyist – receivesreceives or or agrees to receive $2,000 in a calendar agrees to receive $2,000 in a calendar yearyear IndividualIndividual

Member of a business organizationMember of a business organization

In-house (regular employee of client In-house (regular employee of client lobbyist)lobbyist)

Definitions ContinuedDefinitions Continued$2,000 for What?$2,000 for What?

Administrative Lobbying; and/orAdministrative Lobbying; and/or

Legislative Lobbying; and orLegislative Lobbying; and or

Activities in Furtherance of Activities in Furtherance of LobbyingLobbying

Lobbyist Contribution BanLobbyist Contribution Ban

Also applies to Also applies to political political committeescommittees establishedestablished or or controlledcontrolled by a communicator by a communicator lobbyistlobbyist

Lobbyist PAC may not make Lobbyist PAC may not make contributions to covered candidates contributions to covered candidates or committees, or solicit for themor committees, or solicit for them

Lobbyist Solicitation BanLobbyist Solicitation Ban

Lobbyists, immediate family members, Lobbyists, immediate family members, agents or their PACs CANNOT SOLICIT A agents or their PACs CANNOT SOLICIT A CONTRIBUTION for:CONTRIBUTION for: Candidates for statewide office and General Candidates for statewide office and General

AssemblyAssembly Committees established or controlled by such Committees established or controlled by such

candidatescandidates Legislative leadership or legislative caucus Legislative leadership or legislative caucus

committees or party committeescommittees or party committees

OR SOLICIT an Ad purchase for a Town CommitteeOR SOLICIT an Ad purchase for a Town Committee

IMMEDIATE FAMILYIMMEDIATE FAMILY SpouseSpouse andand

dependentdependent childrenchildren of a of a

lobbyist are also lobbyist are also subject to the subject to the

contribution and contribution and solicitation banssolicitation bans

Includes Includes partnerspartners to to a civil uniona civil union

““SOLICIT” MEANS:SOLICIT” MEANS:

(A) (A) RequestingRequesting that a contribution be made; that a contribution be made; (B) (B) ParticipatingParticipating in any fundraising in any fundraising

activities, including, but not limited to:activities, including, but not limited to: (1) forwarding tickets(1) forwarding tickets (2) receiving contributions(2) receiving contributions (3) bundling contributions(3) bundling contributions

(C) (C) ServingServing as chairperson, campaign as chairperson, campaign treasurer or deputy treasurer or other treasurer or deputy treasurer or other committee officercommittee officer

““SOLICIT” does NOT mean:SOLICIT” does NOT mean:

Informing any person of a position Informing any person of a position taken by a candidate for public office taken by a candidate for public office or a public officialor a public official

Notifying the person of any activities Notifying the person of any activities of, or contact information for, any of, or contact information for, any candidate for public officecandidate for public office

EFFECTIVE DATEEFFECTIVE DATE

These provisions are effective These provisions are effective December 31, 2006December 31, 2006

Communications and contributions Communications and contributions made made prior prior to December 31, 2006 to December 31, 2006 are not subject to the banare not subject to the ban

A Lobbyist May Still:A Lobbyist May Still:

Volunteer for a political campaignVolunteer for a political campaign Put a sign on his/her lawnPut a sign on his/her lawn Drive the candidate around campaigningDrive the candidate around campaigning Tell people candidate X is great…or awfulTell people candidate X is great…or awful Serve in an official capacity on a Serve in an official capacity on a

campaigncampaign Make get out the vote calls Make get out the vote calls

LOBBYISTS MAY STILLLOBBYISTS MAY STILL

Contribute to political committees, except Contribute to political committees, except legislative leadership and legislative caucus legislative leadership and legislative caucus committee, or PACs established or controlled committee, or PACs established or controlled by statewide or general assembly candidatesby statewide or general assembly candidates

Contribute to and solicit for candidates for Contribute to and solicit for candidates for Judge of Probate, local candidates and Judge of Probate, local candidates and referendareferenda

Make independent expenditures in support Make independent expenditures in support of candidatesof candidates

LOBBYISTS MAY STILLLOBBYISTS MAY STILL

Express supportExpress support for a candidate or for a candidate or their viewstheir views

CommunicateCommunicate their evaluations of a their evaluations of a legislator or candidate to their clients legislator or candidate to their clients

ContributeContribute to a political committee to a political committee that is not established or controlled that is not established or controlled by one of the covered candidates by one of the covered candidates (but no earmarking)(but no earmarking)

LEGISLATORSLEGISLATORS MAY NOT MAY NOT SOLICIT SOLICIT LOBBYISTSLOBBYISTS

It is illegal to make, receive or It is illegal to make, receive or solicitsolicit a prohibited contribution (9-a prohibited contribution (9-333x(10))333x(10))

Since lobbyist contributions are Since lobbyist contributions are prohibited, they cannot legally be prohibited, they cannot legally be solicitedsolicited

Same definition of “solicit” appliesSame definition of “solicit” applies

Sessional Lobbyist Contribution Sessional Lobbyist Contribution BanBan

Has been the law since 1990Has been the law since 1990 Applies to both Applies to both clientclient and and communicatorcommunicator

lobbyists and their political committeeslobbyists and their political committees Contributions/Solicitations banned Contributions/Solicitations banned duringduring

the legislative sessionthe legislative session Still necessary for Still necessary for CLIENT LOBBYISTSCLIENT LOBBYISTS And non-contributions don’t apply for client And non-contributions don’t apply for client

and communicator lobbyists during sessionand communicator lobbyists during session

Prohibited Donor and Recipient Prohibited Donor and Recipient Lists for Sessional Lobbyist BanLists for Sessional Lobbyist Ban B-2 Certification of Eligibility to Receive B-2 Certification of Eligibility to Receive

Lobbyist Contributions During SessionLobbyist Contributions During Session B-3 Certification of a Committee B-3 Certification of a Committee

Established by of on Behalf of a LobbyistEstablished by of on Behalf of a Lobbyist Lists published and distributed during Lists published and distributed during

sessionsession Reminders of sessional ban in BulletinReminders of sessional ban in Bulletin

ANNUAL LOBBYIST CAMPAIGN ANNUAL LOBBYIST CAMPAIGN FINANCE FILINGFINANCE FILING

Due 2Due 2ndnd Thursday in July of each year Thursday in July of each year Covers July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006Covers July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006 File either:File either: ED-50 Itemized Disclosures of ED-50 Itemized Disclosures of

Contributions and Purchases by Contributions and Purchases by Lobbyist and members of Immediate Lobbyist and members of Immediate FamilyFamily

ED-51 Exemption (if under $1,000)ED-51 Exemption (if under $1,000)

ANNUAL FILING REQUIREMENT ANNUAL FILING REQUIREMENT ABOLISHEDABOLISHED

PA 06-137 Removed the annual lobbyist PA 06-137 Removed the annual lobbyist campaign finance filingcampaign finance filing

Effective October 1, 2007Effective October 1, 2007 Filing will Filing will still be requiredstill be required July 2007 July 2007

Covering July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007Covering July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007 Should be no contributions to covered Should be no contributions to covered

candidates or committees after December 31, candidates or committees after December 31, 20062006

Could be other political committee contributionsCould be other political committee contributions

State Contractor BanState Contractor Ban

Law requires us to Law requires us to compile a database compile a database of those subject to of those subject to the banthe ban

Over 10,000 Over 10,000 vendors vendors

Will be posted on Will be posted on our websiteour website

Contractor BanContractor Ban Principals of contractors Principals of contractors

with the statewith the state Valued at $50,000, or Valued at $50,000, or

$100,000 in the $100,000 in the aggregateaggregate

CANNOTCANNOT contribute to contribute to or solicit for candidates or solicit for candidates in the branch of in the branch of government they have government they have a contract witha contract with

New Electronic Filing New Electronic Filing SystemSystem

New system being New system being developeddeveloped

Searchable Searchable databasedatabase

Redesigned formsRedesigned forms User friendlyUser friendly All SOTS campaign All SOTS campaign

finance filings with finance filings with SEEC beginning in SEEC beginning in 20072007

SEEC Contact InformationSEEC Contact Information Address:Address:

20 Trinity Street, Hartford, CT 0610620 Trinity Street, Hartford, CT 06106 E-mail:E-mail:

[email protected]@.ct.gov Telephone:Telephone:

(860) 566-1776(860) 566-1776 toll free (in-state only)toll free (in-state only) 1-(866) 733-24631-(866) 733-2463 1-(866) SEEC-INFO 1-(866) SEEC-INFO

Fax:Fax: (860) 566-4402(860) 566-4402

Website:Website: www.ct.gov/seecwww.ct.gov/seec