Senate committee hears testimony on bill narrowing definition of lobbyist and lobbying

The Senate committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 286, a measure that would revise definitions in Kansas's governmental ethics law to narrow who is considered a lobbyist and what constitutes lobbying.

Charles (committee counsel) summarized the bill to the committee: "Senate Bill 286 makes a number of changes to the definitions in the state governmental ethics law pertaining to lobbying," he said, adding the bill adds a definition of "lobbying client" and revises thresholds and language used to define a lobbyist and the act of lobbying.

Under the bill as explained by counsel, a person would be a lobbyist in one circumstance only if they are a primary representative compensated at least at the annual level of an elected legislator; another change would remove the $1,000 expenditure trigger and instead classify someone as a lobbyist only if they are retained and receive at least $5,000 in compensation from a lobbying client for lobbying activities. The bill also narrows the definition of lobbying to focus on oral or written communications "on…