Latest Developments:
Fair Political Practices Commission meets next Thursday, March 22, 2018. Among the topics on the agenda for discussion:
- Regulations 19401(recordkeeping requirements for mass mailing and earmarked funds) and 18450 (definition of “advertisement” for disclosure purposes). Both of these include changes based on AB 249 (the Disclose Act) Enforcement.
- Priorities and Procedures: The Commission and staff will discuss the establishment of step-by-step procedures for the Enforcement Division to follow, which would be approved by the Commission and made available to the public.
- Governance Committee Report. The Ad Hoc Governance Committee recommends:
- Establishment of four standing committees: Budget, Legislative, Personnel, and Law & Policy.
- Each committee would be composed of two Commissioners.
- Revised Governance Principles, under which certain policy matters are filtered through these committees.
- Procedures for setting the Commission’s agenda. This item is worth noting only in the respect that Commissioner Audero wrote a 6 page memo criticizing the Chair over how the agenda is created; a 5-page analysis was prepared by staff on how the Commission may adopt procedures to set the agenda.
- Future regulations for discussion include amendments to the conflict-of-interest regulation, including clarification of the 500-foot property rule. No particular time is specified for the Commission to consider this regulation.
San Francisco Ethics Commission meets today, Friday, March 16, 2018. On the agenda: the Commission will elect a new chair. In addition, the Executive Director has announced that Jessica Blome, the Director of Enforcement is leaving the Commission.
In case you missed it:
- R. 4916, introduced in Congress on February 2, 2018, would prohibit the IRS from requiring disclosure of donors on Schedule B of federal Form 990. That Form 990 return, filed by nonprofits, requires those organizations to disclose the identities of donors and the amount contributed during the tax year. The Washington Examiner reports that this information, which is supposed to be confidential, seems to have a nefarious way of becoming public. The Examiner notes that the confidential information doesn’t really have much value to regulators but poses a huge risk to donors and the charities they favor, especially those with a political or controversial bent.
- Colorado SB 116 would permit issuance of Capitol ID Cards to any member of the public who pays a fee of $250, submits a set of fingerprints, and undergoes a background check. The bill would permit these Capitol ID holders to bypass metal detectors and other security measures. Over 90% of Colorado lobbyists surveyed support the bill. The Denver Post reports that the bill passed out of the Senate on March 15, 2016. It now goes to the House.
- Colorado’s Secretary of State released a draft of revised lobby regulations on March 15, 2018. The proposed regulations would adopt new rules governing lobbyists. According to the Secretary’s analysis it would, among other things, clarify that grassroots lobbying is not covered, and that communications by attorneys on behalf of clients are not covered. It also clarifies who is a professional lobbyist, what constitutes a lobbying firm, and further clarifies their disclosure requirements.
- S. News and World Report notes that the Massachusetts Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week (on March 6, 2018) in a challenge to the state’s century-old ban on corporate contributions to political candidates. The case is 1A Auto, Inc. v. Sullivan.
- C. Bill 22-0192 was signed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia on March 12, 2018. The bill establishes a program for publicly funded campaigns in the district.