GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 2252

Short Title:  Lobbying Registration Fees Upped.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Easterling, Michaux; Barnhill, Beall, N. Crawford, Culp, Decker, Hurley, Lail, Stamey, Warner, and Weatherly.
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Referred to:  Finance.
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June 1, 1990

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE FEES FOR REGISTRATION BY LOBBYISTS, BUT TO ALLOW A LOWER FEE FOR THOSE REGISTERING ONLY FOR THE SHORT SESSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 120-47.3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120-47.3. Registration fee.
Every person, corporation or association which employs any person to act as legislative agent as defined by law to promote or oppose in any manner the passage by the General Assembly of any legislation affecting the pecuniary interests of any individual, association or corporation as distinct from those of the whole people of the State, or to act in any manner as a legislative agent in connection with any such legislation, shall pay to the Secretary of State a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) which fee shall be due and payable by either the employer or the employee at the time of registration; provided that the fee shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00) when a person does not act as a legislative agent until after December 31 of the year in which the regular session convenes.
A separate registration, together with a separate registration fee in the amount required by this section, shall be required for each person, corporation or association for which a person acts as legislative agent. Fees so collected shall be deposited in the general fund of the State."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 120-47.6 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120-47.6. Statements of legislative agent's lobbying expenses required.
Each legislative agent shall file annually, within 30 days after the final adjournment of the regular session of the General Assembly held in a calendar year, a report with respect to each person represented setting forth the date, to whom paid, and amount of each expenditure made during the previous year in connection with promoting or opposing any legislation in any manner covered by this Article, in each of the following categories: (1)	transportation, (2) lodging, (3) entertainment, (4) food, (5) any item having a cash equivalent value of more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and (6) contributions made, paid, incurred or promised, directly or indirectly. It shall not be necessary to report expenditures in a particular category if the total amount expended in the particular category on behalf of a person represented is twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or less. A report shall be filed annually whether or not contributions or expenditures are made. All reports shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of State and shall be open to public inspection. When a legislative agent fails to file a lobbying expense report as required herein, the Secretary of State shall send a certified or registered letter advising the agent of his delinquency and the penalties provided by law. Within 20 days of the receipt of such letter, the agent shall deliver or post by United States mail to the Secretary of State the required report and an additional late filing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Filing of the required report and payment of the additional fee within the time extended shall constitute compliance with this section. Failure to file an expense report in one of the manners prescribed herein shall result in revocation of any and all registrations of a legislative agent under this Article. No legislative agent may register or reregister under this Article until he has fully complied with this section."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 120-47.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120-47.7. Statements of employer lobbying expenses required.
Each person who employs or retains a legislative agent shall file annually, within 30 days after the final adjournment of the regular session of the General Assembly held in a calendar year, a report with respect to each agent employed or retained setting forth the date, to whom paid, and amount of each expenditure made during the previous year in connection with promoting or opposing any legislation in any manner covered by this Article, in each of the following categories: (1)	transportation, (2) lodging, (3) entertainment, (4) food, (5) any item having a cash equivalent value of more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00), (6) contributions made, paid, incurred or promised, directly or indirectly, and (7) compensation to legislative agents. It shall not be necessary to report expenditures in any particular category if the total amount expended in the particular category on behalf of a person represented is twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or less. In the category of compensation to legislative agents it shall not be necessary to report the full salary, or any portion thereof, of a legislative agent who is a full-time employee of or is annually retained by the reporting employer. A report shall be filed annually whether or not payments are made. All reports shall be in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State and open to public inspection. When an employer or retainer of a legislative agent fails to file a lobbying expense report as required herein, the Secretary of State shall send a certified or registered letter advising the employer or retainer of his delinquency and the penalties provided by law. Within 20 days of the receipt of such letter, the employer or retainer shall deliver or post by United States mail to the Secretary of State the required report and a late filing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Filing of the required report and payment of the late fee within the time extended shall constitute compliance with this section."
Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective upon sine die adjournment of the 1989 Regular Session of the General Assembly.