Glenn Coffee & Associates staff works diligently to stay up-to-date on government rules and regulations, attending dozens of agency, board and commission meetings each year. Our newsletter shares the latest in ethics and administrative rules, and commentary on how it will affect your business.
Ethics Commission Continues to Consider “Cooling-off Period”
Dec 14, 2017The Ethics Commission is continuing to consider new and different versions of the “cooling off period” Rule. The latest version contains an important change–unlike previous versions, it does not include all state employees.
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Why Lobbyists Should Avoid Holiday Gifting
Dec 14, 2017Lobbyists are limited to $200 per year in gifting in recognition of “infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance,” and the limit drops to $100 on Jan. 1, 2018. Does this mean you can’t give Christmas or holiday gifts?
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Treatment of State Question Committees
Nov 9, 2017Under a series of amendments to the Ethics Rules that became effective May 26, 2017, committees promoting or opposing state questions can no longer lawfully duck reporting requirements imposed on other political committees. Independent expenditure organizations will no longer be able to, either, under a series of amendments to the Ethics Rules became effective May 26, 2017.
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New Uses of Surplus Funds
Nov 9, 2017Candidates with surplus funds may expend those funds to purchase items for a donation to a charity for the charity’s fundraising purposes, under amendments to the Ethics Rules that are now effective. They may also make a direct contribution to the state, a state agency or a political subdivision such as a county, municipality or school district.
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Who Can Sign Checks?
Nov 9, 2017Candidates now may authorize people to sign checks or debit cards on behalf of the candidate committee, thanks to an amendment to the Ethics Rules that became effective May 26, 2017.
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Reimbursement Rule Changes
Nov 9, 2017Candidates who make campaign expenditures using personal funds, and then reimburse themselves from campaign funds, are now required do so within 90 days of the expenditure. They are also required to report the expenditure in detail, regardless of the amount. This change to the Ethics Rules became effective May 26, 2017.
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New Lobbyist Report Deadlines
Nov 9, 2017Effective January 2018, lobbyists and liaisons will be able to attend early-January football bowl games without worrying about filing their reports. A 2017 amendment to Ethics Rule 1.4 changed the January reporting date from “before the sixth day” to “before the sixteenth day” for the report of interim activities from July 1 to Dec. 31. For executive lobbyists, the covered period is the fourth quarter.
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Major Changes to Gift Rules
Nov 9, 2017Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, changes to the Ethics Rules will significantly alter the gift-giving practices of some lobbyists. The changes cover meal and non-meal gifts, and they lower some limits.
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The Blackout Period and Special Session
Oct 20, 2017State law requires that no lobbyist or lobbyist principal may make or promise to make a campaign contribution to, or solicit or promise to solicit a contribution for, a member of the Legislature or a candidate for state legislative office during any regular legislative session. The rule runs from the first Monday in February through five calendar days following sine die adjournment during regular legislative session. But what about during a special session?
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Political Party Purchases
Oct 20, 2017A new Ethics Rule effective immediately provides candidates who pay political party committees for “ordinary and necessary campaign expenditures” are not making contributions to the party, provided the amount charged to the candidate does not exceed the cost to the party.
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