In committee
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Kentucky House
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Lead sponsor
AN ACT relating to lobbying.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 48 to prohibit a public agency or any other entity created by an act of the General Assembly from using public funds for lobbying activity or to employ or enter into a contract with a lobbyist; define terms; exempt public agency employees who perform lobbying activities as part of their fiduciary duties; create a new section of KRS Chapter 61 to prohibit a public agency from using public funds for lobbying activity or to employ or contract with a lobbyist; define terms; exempt public agency employees who perform lobbying activities as part of their fiduciary duties; create new sections of KRS 6.601 to 6.849 to permit a person to file a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission if a public agency or entity created by an act of the General Assembly is using public funds to hire a lobbyist or for lobbying activity; require the commission to transfer a complaint to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission if the alleged violator is an employee of the executive branch of state government; require a public agency to report to the Legislative Ethics Commission if the agency procures a contract with a legislative agent to engage in federal lobbying or uses federal funds to employ or procure a contract with a legislative agent or as part of compensation or salary of an employee to engage in lobbying activity on behalf of the agency; require the report to be filed within 30 days of the decision to engage in federal lobbying activity or use federal funds to engage in lobbying activity; require all public agencies to submit to the Auditor of Public Accounts and State Treasurer a list of all contracts they have procured with a legislative agency for all types of lobbying activity, regardless of the source of funds, by June 30 each year; allow the Attorney General, Commonwealth's attorney, county attorney, or their designee to investigate violations; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to prohibit public postsecondary education institutions from employing or contracting with a lobbyist or using public funds to employ or contract with a lobbyist; allow a president of the public postsecondary institution to lobby on behalf of the institution in his or her fiduciary capacity; amend KRS 6.611 to include as lobbying any public agency to hire or procure a contract with a public relations, media, or social media company to indirectly promote, advocate, or oppose passage of any legislation or action taken by the General Assembly, the Governor, the secretary of any cabinet or any staff members; amend KRS 6.691 to allow the Legislative Ethics Commission to issue a fine of not less than $2,000 but not more than $10,000 to any public agency that uses public funds for lobbying purposes; amend KRS 6.945 to provide that the lobbying restrictions are not affected by the requirements of Section 1 or 2 of this Act; amend KRS 61.990 to provide that an officer or employee of a public agency who intentionally violates the lobbying restrictions shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense, and a Class D felony for any subsequent offenses; amend KRS 11A.201 to conform; provide that the Act may be cited as the Bye Bye BULL Act.
