Multnomah County adopts lobbying registration rules and funds initial technology build

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance to require registration and quarterly reporting by paid lobbyists, expand online calendar reporting for county officials, and create a cooling-off restriction for some former county officials. The board also approved a one-time $200,000 allocation from the general-fund contingency to begin building the technology the ordinance requires.

Commissioners who sponsored the ordinance said the measures are intended to increase transparency around paid advocacy directed at county decision-makers. The approved ordinance defines "lobbying" and "lobbyist," sets a registration trigger (within three business days after spending 10 hours lobbying or when expenditures exceed $50 in a quarter), and requires quarterly online reports to list the lobbyist, the firm, expenses for food and entertainment, and any public officials who received benefits exceeding $50.

The ordinance includes exemptions for the media, unpaid testimony to the commission, and commission members acting in official capacity. It also requires commissioners and other public officials to post a calendar of official county activities within 15 days after the end of each calendar quarter; calendars must include meeting and event titles, dates and times, and primary participants or organizations.

On ethics and conflicts, the ordinance establishes a one-year cooling-off period: commissioners, department directors and staff may not lobby the county on matters related to programs or activities over which they exercised authority while in office. The ordinance also prohibits the county from entering contracts with a current or recently departed official on matters the person influenced while in county service, with a narrow exception the chair may grant if written findings show the county's best interests are served.

County leaders emphasized education and phased enforcement. The ordinance provides for graduated compliance steps — an initial warning and an opportunity to come into compliance — before escalating to penalties or citations. Implementation will be phased. The board set a target implementation date of July 1, 2026, to allow time to build systems and provide outreach and training.

Implementation plan and funding: Multnomah County Chief Operating Officer Christopher Veil told the board his office will immediately start a comprehensive assessment to identify required technology and staff resources. He said the county needs an online lobbyist registration and reporting system and a calendar reporting system for commissioners and that his office will deliver an initial memo to the board by May 13, 2025, and a fuller implementation update by Aug. 1, 2025. The board approved a one-time transfer of $200,000 from the general-fund contingency to develop the technology and cover early implementation tasks; the COO said staff will return with recommended FY 2026 funding and any personnel (FTE) needs for launch and ongoing operation.

Why this matters: the ordinance creates a new public record about who is spending money to influence county policy and budgeting and requires new administrative systems and staff capacity. County officials said their goal is higher transparency and an accessible online system rather than immediate punitive enforcement.