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Subcommittee adopts amendment to local-lobbying bill and forwards it to full committee
Summary
A legislative subcommittee adopted Senator Bennett’s amendment to S.632 to tighten local-lobbying definitions, bar certain contributions by lobbyists to officials they lobby, and clarify service and fundraising limits; the amendment passed by voice vote and will be refined before full committee review.
Senator Bennett’s amendment to S.632, a bill aimed at tightening oversight of local-government lobbying, was adopted by the subcommittee and reported to the full committee after a voice vote.
Senator Bennett, the bill sponsor, told the panel the measure "closes some significant loopholes" in how local lobbying is treated and "creates rules that create level playing fields for everybody involved." He said the changes are intended to increase transparency and accountability without imposing punitive measures on legitimate activity.
Paula Benson, who walked members through the amendment, said the draft narrows the definition of "lobbying" so that activities by organizations providing member services to public bodies would not be treated as lobbying. Benson also explained provisions that would require lobbyists to disclose their legislative registration positions, bar a lobbyist from providing a campaign contribution to an official when the lobbyist lobbies that official or body, and prohibit lobbyists from serving on a local board if they lobby that local governing body. Benson gave the example that "a lobbyist who engages in lobbying the City of Columbia couldn't provide a campaign contribution to a City of Columbia council member."
The subcommittee debated wording aimed at avoiding unintended consequences for officials communicating in their official capacity. Committee members asked whether language could be read to prohibit routine interofficial communications; legal counsel clarified that the bill contains an exception for "official activities," and the amendment is aimed at preventing paid lobbying by officials rather than ordinary official communications.
A motion to adopt the amendment was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; no recorded roll-call was taken. The chair asked that Benson be authorized to make agreed verbal drafting changes before the full committee. The subcommittee sent S.632 to the full committee with the adopted amendment.
What’s next: The amendment will be finalized in staff-draft form and the full committee will consider S.632 with the adopted changes.
