DCMR
Chapter
31: Lobbying
3100
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
3100.1
A person shall register as a lobbyist with the Director if that person,
under the following circumstances:
(a) Receives
compensation of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more in any three
(3) consecutive calendar month period for lobbying;
(b) Receives
compensation from more than one (1) source which totals two hundred fifty
dollars ($250) or more in any three (3) consecutive month period for lobbying;
and
(c )
Expends funds of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more in any three
(3) consecutive calendar month period for lobbying.
3100.2
A person shall be exempt from the registration requirements if that person
serves as
any of the following:
(a) A
public official, or an employee of the United States acting in an official
capacity;
(b) A
publisher or working member of the press, radio, or television who, in
the ordinary course of business, disseminates news or editorial comment
to the general public;
(c )
Any candidate, member or member-elect of an Advisory Neighborhood Commission;
or
(d) Any
exempt organization specified in the District of Columbia tax code, the
activities of which do not include lobbying and the financial result of
its activities are attributed solely to the entity.
3100.3
A person who may be exempt from the registration requirements, pursuant
to §3100.2, may be a registrant for others purposes under this chapter.
3100.4
The activity of any person who registers as a lobbyist and engages in
lobbying shall not constitute a conflict of interest.
3100.5
A person shall register as a lobbyist by filing a registration form, on
a form prescribed
by the Director.
3100.6
A registrant shall file a registration form for each person from whom
compensation is
received.
3100.7
The registration form shall include the following:
(a) Registrant’s
name, permanent address and temporary address, if any, while lobbying;
(b) Name
and address of each person designated to lobby on behalf of the registrant;
(c )
Name, address, and nature of the business of any person who compensates
the registrant and the terms of the compensation;
(d) Identification,
by formal designation if known, of matters on which the registrant expects
to lobby; and
(e) Registrant’s
verification under oath of the required information.
3100.8
Each law firm, association or business entity shall register in the name
of the respective entity, Provided, that a partner or a member who performs
lobbying duties, pursuant to §3100.1, shall register as a lobbyist.
3101
ACTIVITY REPORTS
3101.1
Each registrant shall file an activity report, on a form prescribed by
the Director, for each person from whom compensation is received during
the reporting period only for lobbying for local affairs in the District
of Columbia.
3101.2
The activity report shall include the following:
(a) A
complete and current statement of information as shown on the registration
form;
(b) An
enumeration and break down of total lobbying expenditures;
(c )
A detailed accounting of any political expenditure, loan, gift, honorarium
or contribution of fifty dollars ($50) or more made by the registrant
or anyone acting on behalf of the registrant to benefit an official in
the legislative or executive branch, a member of the official’s staff
or household, or a campaign or testimonial committee established for the
benefit of the official;
(d) An
accounting of the aggregate of all expenditures less than fifty dollars
($50) made pursuant to §3101.2(c);
(e) Name
and employment information for each official in the executive or legislative,
and any member of the official’s personal staff, who was compensated in
any manner by the registrant;
(f) Name
of each official in the executive or legislative branch with whom the
registrant has communicated in writing or orally during the reporting
period related to lobbying activities;
(g) The
name, address and nature of business of each person to whom the registrant
has compensated to lobbying on behalf of the registrant, and an exact
accounting of the time spent and the expenses incurred; and
(h) A
pro rated listing of salaries paid to each lobbyist based on time spent
on influencing any legislative action, administrative decision, or on
each piece of local legislation.
3101.3
Each registrant shall maintain the following:
(a) A
personal detailed account of time, expenses and compensation for lobbying;
and
(b) All
records in accordance with chapter 34 of this title.
3101.4
A registrant shall exclude from activity reports any transactions related
to that person’s exempt status, pursuant to §3100.2.
3102
FILING DEADLINES
3102.1
A registration form shall be filed by each registrant at the following
times:
(a) Not
later than 15 days after becoming a lobbyist; and
(b) On
or before January 15th of each year.
3102.2
Activity reports of the previous six (6) month period shall be filed every
year by each registrant at the following times:
(a) January
10th; and
(b) July
10th.
3102.3
A Lobbyist Short Form, on a form prescribed by the Director, shall be
filed by a lobbyist who failed to perform any lobbying activities during
the previous reporting period, at the following times:
(a) January
10th; and
(b) July
10th.
3102.4
A registrant shall notify the Director in writing within fifteen (15)
days of the discontinuance of any lobbying activities.
3103
LIMITATIONS ON LOBBYING ACTIVITIES
3103.1
A registrant, or anyone acting on behalf of a registrant, shall be prohibited
from offering, giving, or causing to be given a gift, directly or indirectly
related to lobbying, to an official in the legislative or executive branch
or member of the official’s staff, that exceeds one hundred dollars ($100)
in value in the aggregate in any calendar year.
3103.2
An official in the legislative or executive branch or any member of the
official’s staff shall be prohibited from soliciting or accepting anything,
directly or indirectly related to lobbying, that exceeds one hundred dollars
($100) in value in the aggregate in any calendar year.
3103.3
The term, "gift," as used in §3103, excludes contributions made pursuant
to chapter 30 of this title.
3103.4
A person shall be prohibited from intentionally engaging in the following:
(a) making
any false or misleading statement or misrepresentation of the facts relative
to any pending administrative decisions or legislative actions to any
official in the legislative or executive branch;
(b) Causing
a copy of a document, knowing the document to contain a false statement,
pursuant to §3103.3(a), to be transmitted to an official in the legislative
or executive branch without notifying the official in writing of the truth;
and
(c )
Selling or utilizing any information copied from registration forms and
activity reports, pursuant to §§3100 and 3101, or from lists
compiled from registration forms and activity reports, for soliciting
campaign contributions or selling tickets to a fundraising affair or for
any commercial purpose.
3103.4
Except as provided in §3100.2, a public official shall be precluded
from employment as a lobbyist while acting as a public official.
3103.5
Penalties for any violations of this chapter shall be imposed pursuant
to chapter 37 of this title.
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