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H.B. 39

             1     

RESTRICTION ON FORMER STATE

             2     
OFFICIALS LOBBYING

             3     
1999 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Jordan Tanner

             6      AN ACT RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE; CREATING THE LOBBYING
             7      RESTRICTIONS ACT; PROHIBITING STATE OFFICIALS FROM BECOMING
             8      LOBBYISTS FOR TWO YEARS AFTER LEAVING OFFICE; AND PROVIDING AN
             9      EFFECTIVE DATE.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      ENACTS:
             12          36-11a-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             13          36-11a-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             14          36-11a-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             15      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             16          Section 1. Section 36-11a-101 is enacted to read:
             17     
CHAPTER 11a. LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS ACT

             18     
Part 1. General Provisions

             19          36-11a-101. Title.
             20          This chapter is known as the "Lobbying Restrictions Act."
             21          Section 2. Section 36-11a-102 is enacted to read:
             22          36-11a-102. Definitions.
             23          As used in this chapter:
             24          (1) "Executive action" means:
             25          (a) nominations and appointments by the governor;
             26          (b) the proposal, drafting, amendment, enactment, or repeal by a state agency of any rule
             27      made in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act; and


             28          (c) agency ratemaking proceedings.
             29          (2) "Legislative action" means:
             30          (a) bills, resolutions, amendments, nominations, and other matters pending or proposed
             31      in either house of the Legislature or its committees or requested by a legislator; and
             32          (b) the action of the governor in approving or vetoing legislation.
             33          (3) "Lobbying" means communicating with a public official for the purpose of influencing
             34      the passage, defeat, amendment, or postponement of legislative or executive action.
             35          (4) (a) "Lobbyist" means an individual who is employed by a principal or who contracts
             36      for economic consideration, other than reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses, with a
             37      principal to lobby a public official.
             38          (b) "Lobbyist" does not include:
             39          (i) a public official while acting in his official capacity on matters pertaining to his office
             40      or a state employee while acting within the scope of his employment;
             41          (ii) any person appearing at, or providing written comments to, a hearing conducted in
             42      accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, or Title 63, Chapter
             43      46b, Administrative Procedures Act;
             44          (iii) any person participating on or appearing before an advisory or study task force,
             45      commission, board, or committee, constituted by the Legislature or any agency or department of
             46      state government, except legislative standing, appropriation, or interim committees;
             47          (iv) a representative of a political party;
             48          (v) an individual representing a bona fide church solely for the purpose of protecting the
             49      right to practice the religious doctrines of the church unless the individual or church makes an
             50      expenditure that confers a benefit on a public official;
             51          (vi) a newspaper, television station or network, radio station or network, periodical of
             52      general circulation, or book publisher for the purpose of publishing news items, editorials, other
             53      comments, or paid advertisements that directly or indirectly urge legislative or executive action;
             54          (vii) an elected official of a local government while acting within the scope of his official
             55      capacity on matters pertaining to his office or an employee of a local government while acting
             56      within the scope of his employment; or
             57          (viii) an individual who appears on his own behalf before a committee of the Legislature
             58      or an executive branch agency solely for the purpose of testifying in support of or in opposition


             59      to legislative or executive action.
             60          (5) "Person" includes individuals, bodies politic and corporate, sole proprietorships,
             61      partnerships, associations, and corporations.
             62          (6) "Principal" means a person who employs a lobbyist either as an employee or as an
             63      independent contractor.
             64          (7) "Public official" means:
             65          (a) a member of the Legislature;
             66          (b) an individual elected to a position in the executive branch; or
             67          (c) an individual appointed to or employed in the executive or legislative branch if that
             68      individual:
             69          (i) occupies a policymaking position or makes purchasing or contracting decisions;
             70          (ii) drafts legislation or drafts or approves rules;
             71          (iii) determines rates or fees; or
             72          (iv) makes adjudicative decisions.
             73          (8) "State official" means:
             74          (a) all statewide elected officers;
             75          (b) members of the Legislature; and
             76          (c) persons occupying the positions listed in Section 67-22-2 .
             77          Section 3. Section 36-11a-201 is enacted to read:
             78     
Part 2. Lobbying Restrictions

             79          36-11a-201. Qualified prohibitions on lobbyists.
             80          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a h FORMER h state official may not become a
             80a      lobbyist or
             81      engage in lobbying activities for h [ two ] ONE h calendar h [ years ] YEAR h , beginning the date the
             81a      official leaves office
             82      and ending on the day after the h [ two ] ONE h -year anniversary of that date.
             83          (2) This section does not apply if the h FORMER h state official:
             84          (a) engages in lobbying on behalf of himself or a business with which he is associated,
             85      other than a business whose primary activity is lobbying or governmental relations; and
             86          (b) does not engage in activities that would require registration as a lobbyist.
             87          Section 4. Effective date.
             88          This act takes effect on January 1, 2001.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-29-98 2:11 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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