MEMO
TO: HonorableMayor &CityCouncil FROM: Nikki FortunatoBasMembersof thePublic Council President, District 2 SUBJECT:
Master FeeScheduleAmendmentsToConformToTheLobbyist RegistrationAct DATE: October 26, 2023
OnOctober 17, 2023, CityCouncil votedtoapproveamendmentstotheLobbyist RegistrationAct(LRA) withthepurposeof codifyingintheLRAthe$500/year lobbyist registrationfee, establishingalobbyist registrationfeewaiver andfeereduction, cappingthelatefilingfeefor lobbyist quarterlyreports, requiringthat lobbyistsattendatrainingontheLRA, changingthelobbyingquarterlyreportsfilingscheduleandauthorizingthePECtorequireadditional informationinquarterlyreportsandmakingother moreminor andtechnical amendmentstotheLRA. TheordinancebeforeyouamendstheMasterFeeScheduletoconformtotheproposedfeescheduleintheLRA.
InJuneof thisyear, theCityCouncil adopteditsMaster FeeSchedulefor Fiscal Year 2023-2024,which, at therequest of thePublicEthicsCommission(PECor Commission), includedanew$500annual lobbyist registrationfeeandanew$10/daylobbyist latefilingfee. Inrecommendingthat theCityCouncil adopt thesefees, thePECcommittedtodevelopingaregistrationfeewaiver policyforlobbyistswhoareemployeesof nonprofitsor community-basedorganizationsfor theCityCouncil’sconsideration.
Thisproposal codifiestherecent Master FeeScheduleamendmentsintheLobbyist RegistrationAct(LRA) andaddsthreechangestothestandardfeestructuretomitigatehardshipandpromotefeeequity:● Afeewaiver for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationswithlessthan$750,000inannualrevenue;● Afeereductionfor small businessesandorganizationswithlessthan$200,000inannualrevenue; and● A50%feereductionfor lobbyistsregisteringinthesecondhalf of theyear.
TheproposedLRAAmendmentsalsogivethePECtheauthoritytomodifythesefeereductionsorwaiversbasedonexperienceadministeringthefee. Additionally, the$10/daylatefeewouldbecappedat $1,000, whichisthePEC’smaximumfiningauthorityunder theLRA.
I’mgrateful for theopportunitytopartner withour PublicEthicsCommissionanditsExecutiveDirector, NicolasHeidorntobringtheseconformingchangesforward. Thankyoufor yourconsideration.
CityCouncilNovember 7, 2023