Rhode Island Enacts Lobbying Reform Act
This summer, the Rhode Island legislature passed significant changes to the state’s lobbying laws. The lobbying law now regulates efforts to influence executive branch actions as well as legislative lobbying activities. The new law also broadens the definition of lobbyist to include any employee, officer, or agent of a business entity or organization whose job responsibilities include lobbying. The new law does, however, exempt “persons appearing on behalf of a business entity by which they are employed or an organization for which they are associated, if that person’s regular duties do not include lobbying or government relations.” As a result, an executive who does not regularly lobby on behalf of a business entity or nonprofit organization, but who testifies at a hearing or has a single meeting with a legislator would not be required to register as a lobbyist.
The new lobbying law also gives the Secretary of State the authority to initiate an investigation into potential violations of the registration and reporting requirements.