Essential Ethics

Latest Developments:  The Oregon Legislature approved HB. 4024, which would impose campaign contribution limits in one of the few remaining states that has no limits. The bill establishes these limits, beginning January 1, 2027, requires related…

 Latest Developments: The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission issued an announcement that it resolved several ethics cases, which include the imposition of fines of $7,500 and $5,000 against two individuals who failed to file lobby…

Latest Developments:  The Federal Communications Commission announced “a unanimous adoption of a Declaratory Ruling that recognizes calls made with AI-generated voices are ‘artificial’ under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).”NPR explains that the net effect…

Latest Developments:  The Federal Election Commission adjusted for inflation the threshold for reporting campaign contributions “bundled” by federal lobbyists. The new threshold is $22,700, up from $21,800 for 2023. In Case You Missed It:  Listen…

Latest Developments:  The Texas Ethics Commission adjusted various thresholds, including those for lobby registration, effective January 1, 2024. The new thresholds require that a person must register if the lobbyist receives compensation of more than $1,870…

Latest Developments:  A U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction in Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi. The Minnesota Reformer reports that the court granted the order to block Minnesota’s recently enacted law that would have…

Latest Developments: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a series of bills that require the Governor, other statewide officers, legislators, and candidates for those offices, to file annual financial disclosure reports. One of the four bills, SB…

Latest Developments:  The Michigan Bureau of Elections issued its annual update of thresholds under the state’s Lobby Registration Act. Among other things, lobby registration in required when compensation exceeds $775 in any 12-month period (up from $725), lobbyist employers must…

Latest Developments: The Center for Political Accountability released the 2023 CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability, which analyzes disclosure and accountability of corporate political spending. The 59-page report includes lists of the top 100 trendsetters, the most improved,…

Latest Developments: The United States Department of Justice posted several opinions relating to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, including an opinion regarding whether a foreign company that acts as a foreign trade association must register under FARA (FARA…