Disclosure requirements removed

Conferees removed a number of proposed lobbyist disclosure requirements from a bill after the state’s top campaign finance official testified against them.

Gary Goldsmith, executive director of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, testified in support of HF2684/  SF2334*, but warned that several provisions added as amendments on the House floor were problematic and potentially unconstitutional.

Sponsored by Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) and Sen. Ray Vandeveer (R-Forest Lake), the bill would allow public utility companies to itemize their disclosure reports rather than report a single dollar amount. Goldsmith said the bill would help clarify how much money utilities are spending on actual lobbying vs. certain work they do with the Public Utilities Commission.

Requirements that lobbyists report will include:

• spending related to efforts to influence recommendations of a legislative council or commission;

• spending on industry conventions, facility tours, travel arrangements, private jets and other hospitality-related expenses; and

• spending on efforts to promote or defeat a ballot question or a candidate for public office.

Goldsmith said that in each case, the disclosure requirements were already covered by current law. Moreover, he said the language of the amendments is confusing and could lead to possible constitutional challenges.

“I’m not sure what the purposes of these amendments are,” he said.

The House repassed the bill 126-1 as amended by conference on April 26, after the Senate re-passed it 61-0 one day earlier.It now goes to the governor.