The State Ethics Commission administers a lobbying registration, reporting, and regulation program. Executive, legislative and grassroots lobbying are covered by the Law. The lobbyist standards of conduct include prohibitions against contingent fees, prohibitions against lobbyist soliciting or transmitting campaign funds as to State officials or candidates for those offices and prohibitions against making certain gifts. Over 1,800 lobbying registrations are filed each year. Lobbying activity reports are usually filed twice a year by May 31st or November 30th.
Registration forms identify the name of the lobbyist, the employer and the topics to be lobbied.
Activity reports also include lobbyist compensation and other lobbyist expenditures including gift activity. The public can view these filings at the office of the State Ethics Commission. School boards not covered by county laws must have ethics regulations. Most cities are also required to have ethics laws but small cities can be exempted from these requirements by the State Ethics Commission. A list of those localities having ethics laws and copies of local ethics laws are maintained at the office of the State Ethics Commission.