Special Donations to Honor You, Our Clients

This past year has been quite a challenge for organizations and businesses, large and small, as the economy suffered a series of setbacks nationally and internationally.

Many of us had to “tighten our belts” and we are also looking to new strategies in 2010 to continue to thrive, and continue to provide goods, services, and jobs to loyal employees.

In recognition of the challenges many of us have faced in the past year, we have decided to forego sending gifts for the holiday to our clients, as we have done for the past several years.

Like you, we are watching every dollar. In our case, our goal is to provide you the best possible consulting and information services at the lowest possible cost to you, our valued clients. That is why we have held the line on costs for our subscription clients – maintaining pricing at the same level for the third straight year.

I have enjoyed giving gifts to you in past years – items such as the framed photo of the U.S. Capitol, or a book of political cartoons from The New Yorker. This year, we took funds we would have used to purchase and ship gifts and instead made a special donation at this holiday time to recognize the work all of you are doing to support good causes.

We have made donations to two local organizations – the United Way of Summit County and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. Both are headquartered in our hometown of Akron.

United Way of Summit County is a nonprofit fundraising and community service organization supporting 122 programs provided by 48 local affiliated health and human service agencies in Summit County, and by non-affiliated agencies that are recipients of Development Fund Grants and Priority Area Grants.

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank serves more than 400 community organizations in eight northeast Ohio counties. These community organizations operate food pantries, hot meal sites, shelters, and other hunger-relief programs in the neighborhoods and communities where people need food.

We are pleased to make these donations in your honor. And we know many of you are already doing wonderful charitable work nationally, regionally, and in your own communities.

We are privileged to be partnered with you in meeting your government compliance information needs. Until next month, have a wonderful holiday.

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO

Municipal Coverage Grows

The number of municipalities and regional governments our research associates track continues to grow each month. We now cover more than 140 municipalities and regional governments, including every state capital. This is part of a continuous effort to better serve the needs of our clients.

This month, we have added six municipalities for which our customers will find comprehensive, timely, and accurate information that includes: complete calendar of reporting deadlines; critical statutory citations; extensive directories of contact information; summaries of each state law; detailed reference charts on goods and services contributions; highlights of every statute; copies of all required forms; and much more. 

The new municipalities are:

Legislation We Are Tracking

At any given time, more than 1,000 legislative bills, which can affect how you do business as a government affairs professional, are being discussed in federal, state, and local jurisdictions. These bills are summarized in the State and Federal Communications’ digital encyclopedias for lobbying laws, political contributions, and procurement lobbying; this information is located on the client portion of the State and Federal Communications website.

Summaries of major bills are also included in monthly e-mail updates sent to all clients. The attached chart shows the number of bills we are tracking in regards to lobbying laws, political contributions, and procurement lobbying.

Guidebook’s Improved Formatting Makes for Easier Use

Consulting and online subscription clients of State and Federal Communications, Inc. have received Issue 2 of the 2009 Executive Source Guidebook, which is a quick-reference summary of the government compliance information contained in the online resources.

“Our clients really like getting the Guidebooks, which we send as a value-added benefit,” said Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO. “The Guidebooks are handy. People keep them on their desk, or in their briefcase, to quickly reference questions they have about lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying in the 50 states and the federal government.”

Bartz said the company, with this edition, improved the Guidebook’s formatting to make compliance information easier to access. In the past, the Guidebook contained three separate sections, each corresponding with one of the online resources: the Executive Source Guide on Lobbying Laws™, the Executive Source Guide on Political Contributions™, and the Executive Source Guide on Procurement Lobbying™.

Issue 2 of the 2009 Guidebook combined information pulled from all three of these resources and put it under each jurisdiction. Thus, readers will find key information for rules and regulations on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for Alabama all in one place – in the Alabama section, where it should be.

While this Guidebook is filled with valuable information, it is important to note that the Guidebook summarizes information from the online resources, and is meant to be a quick reference guide. (It would take several volumes to print everything in the online resources.)

Secondly, while this Guidebook is accurate and timely when printed, clients access the online resources because they are updated continually.

The Guidebooks were shipped to ALERTS™ and online subscription clients in September.

 “We are pleased to publish these Guidebooks twice a year for our valued clients. They come at no cost to our clients, and are part of a value-added package of benefits that includes: Summary of Changes (updates and changes made the previous 30 days to all three online resources); News You Can Use™, a weekly summary of news stories about government compliance and ethics from around the country; and this Compliance Now newsletter, with even more information,” Bartz said.

Put Several Items on Your ‘To-Do’ List to Prepare for 2010

by John Cozine, Esq.
Research Manager 

With the new year quickly approaching, there are several things government affairs professionals need to think about in order to prepare for 2010. No doubt you already know which states you will be giving attention to in the upcoming year. But once that has been established, what else do you need to consider?

With regard to lobbying, once you have established you will be lobbying in a particular state, you need to know the status of your current registration, the expiration or renewal date of the registration, and any applicable thresholds requiring lobbyist registration.

If you are currently registered in the state, you need to know when, if ever, the registration expires. A majority of states’ lobbyist registrations expire at the end of the year.

Many states also specify dates by which you must re-register, if you plan on remaining registered. It is important to know both of these dates so that you are at all times registered and in compliance with the laws. Whether you are currently registered or just considering registering, determine whether the state has a threshold which must be met before you must register.

It is possible, if your expectation is that little lobbying will be done in the state, that your activity will stay below the threshold and you can save the expense of registering and reporting for the upcoming year. You will need to monitor your activity in that state closely, however, and register if the threshold is eventually met.

There are two other important things to watch for in the area of lobbying for 2010. First, many jurisdictions have reports due early in the month. Do not be caught flat-footed by the lobbying reports that will be due early in the month of January.

If you wait until you return from your New Year’s break to start preparing your reports, it may already be too late! Second, many jurisdictions, such as Illinois and Massachusetts, have made changes to their lobbying laws which will go into effect January 1, 2010. Make sure you are familiar with the changes.

If you are dealing with campaign finance reports, you will have many of the same considerations. 2010 is an election year in most jurisdictions. Elections generate a fair number of accompanying campaign finance reports, and like lobbying reports, some are due very early in the year, so do not wait until January 5^th to start thinking about them.

If you are planning on making contributions you need to be aware of the timing issues involved. Some states ban contributions while the legislature is in session and some, such as Wisconsin, have further restrictions which, in the case of lobbyists and their principals, result in a very narrow window in which contributions can be made.

So be sure to have your ducks in a row so you do not miss out on your opportunity to be involved in the election. Also, if you plan on making contributions in a particular state in which you do not have a registered PAC, know the rules.

If you are not able to make direct corporate contributions, you will need to determine if you may use your out-of-state or federal PAC to contribute. There may be additional registration and reporting requirements, and you may want to get started on them now.

Of course, this list is not exhaustive. State and Federal’s Executive Source Guides are invaluable tools for planning and for remaining compliant with federal, state, and local rules while still remaining active in that jurisdiction. Be sure to use them for your 2010 planning.

Summary of Changes UPDATE
Note Recent Changes to Compliance Regulations

by John Cozine, Esq.
Research Manager 

Government affairs professionals need to be aware of recent changes – and upcoming changes – in compliance laws for several jurisdictions, including:

CHICAGO, Illinois: Chicago has amended several provisions of its lobbying laws. Beginning on July 1, 2010, lobbyists will be required to complete an ethics training course every 12 months. The amendments also change the lobbyist registration fees from $200 to $350 per person, with an additional $75 annual fee for each additional registered client. Fines for failure to register and report have been doubled from $500 to $1,000. The changes in registration and late fees become effective January 1, 2010.

CONNECTICUT: The State Elections Enforcement Commission announced Albert P. Lenge was selected to replace the retiring Jeffrey B. Garfield as the new executive director and general counsel. The appointment became effective on October 23, 2009.

COOK COUNTY, Illinois: On October 6, 2009, the Cook County Board passed changes to the county's ethics and lobbying laws. The ordinance requires registered lobbyists to amend their registrations within 48 hours to reflect any new clients. On their reports, lobbyists will be required to detail contacts with county officials and employees, and disclose if the lobbyist is related to the official or employee by birth or marriage. The ordinance mandates electronic filing for lobbyist reports once the county clerk establishes rules and regulations governing the process. Fees for late registration and reporting have also been increased. Finally, bidders submitting RFPs must now disclose the name and firm of any lobbyist retained for purposes of the RFP. The provisions of the ordinance became effective upon passage.

MASSACHUSETTS: House Bill 4266, which provides a definition of a gift for state lobbying law, has been signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick. The bill also changes the effective date of changes made to the lobbying law by House Bill 4133 to January 1, 2010. The new January 1, 2010, effective date will allow potentially affected parties to prepare for compliance with the new lobbying regulations.

MONTANA: Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Dennis Unsworth announced amendments to Montana's Administrative Code concerning limitations on receipts from political committees to legislative candidates. Individual and political party contribution limits were also announced. Montana law requires the commissioner of political practices to periodically adjust limitations for inflation. The changes became effective on October 24, 2009.

Landmark Series – Presidential Libraries

This article is one of an ongoing series that focuses on historical and/or significant landmarks. 
The information below was gleaned from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton and http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/info.html

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton  [1946- ]    42^nd President of the United States (1993-2001)

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Clinton made history as the youngest governor in the country in 1978 when he was elected to the position at age 32.

He was the third youngest president on record at age 47, a distinction he now shares with President Barak Obama. He was born after World War II, and because of that he became known as the first “baby boomer” president.

After graduating from Yale Law School, Clinton returned to Arkansas and worked as a professor at the University of Arkansas. He then ran for the House of Representatives in 1974 and was defeated by the incumbent, John Paul Hammerschmidt, by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin. He then ran unopposed for Arkansas Attorney General and won in 1976.

Clinton was largely known for the Third Way, a centrist political position attempting to transcend bipartisanship by advocating a mix of some left-wing and right-wing economic policies.  This philosophy of governance came to epitomize Clinton’s two terms as president.

The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is located within the Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, AR. The Center houses both the Clinton Foundation and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

The archival and museum holdings at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum are the largest within the Presidential Library system. The items in the collection are approximately 76.8 million pages of paper documents, 1.85 million photographs, and more than 84,600 museum artifacts. Official records, as well as donated materials, are available to researchers.

The Library and Museum has many exhibits, special events, and educational programs, including replicas of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. One of the exhibits has a timeline highlighting domestic and foreign policy events during Clinton’s two terms.

Contact Information:
Phone Number:  501- 374-4242
Fax Number:  501- 244-2883
E-mail: clinton.library@nara.gov

State and Federal Communications, Inc. Scrapbook

Several members of the team at State and Federal Communications, Inc., joined Elizabeth Bartz at the Summit County (Ohio) Social Service Advisory Board (SSAB) human services lunch and awards presentation at the Akron Urban League in October. Team members with Elizabeth (standing) are, from left: Ren Koozer, Katie Morton, Bobbi Simpson, Joe May, Tony Pasquale, and Nicole Chames.	Elizabeth Bartz and Russell M. Pry, right, the Summit County (Ohio) Executive, both attended the Summit County Social Service Advisory Board (SSAB) human services lunch and awards presentation at the Akron Urban League in October. Elizabeth is co-chair of SSAB’s Budget and Levy Review Committee.
Wedding bells have been ringing for members of the State and Federal Communications, Inc. team in recent months. In photo at left, bride Sarah Biggs Gray and her husband, David Gray, celebrate on their wedding day, July 25, 2009. In photo at right, File Clerk Justin Quinlan and his new bride, Melissa [right], celebrate their wedding on Oct. 24, 2009, with, from left: President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz, Compliance Assistant Sarah Biggs Gray, Compliance Assistant Susan Stofka, and Compliance Assistant Nicole Chames.

Follow State and Federal Communications, Inc. on

http://twitter.com/StateandFederal