LOBBYIST DISCLOSURE TRIPLES DURING LAW'S FIRST YEAR By SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE H. RYAN

A landmark lobbying reform law has succeeded in more than tripling the spending reported in lobbying top Illinois officials. At the close of the first annual disclosure period on January 31, lobbyist spending figures topped the $1 million mark for the first time ever.

With disclosure forms still arriving on the deadline for this magazine, the total reported spent to lobby state decision makers was at $1,027,192.70, with 1,287 lobbying organizations reporting. That figure is more than three times the comparable amount, $316,906, reported for all of 1993.

Taken as a whole, these reports provide the most complete picture ever of lobbying activity in Illinois' halls of power. The groups who do business with this state clearly are making an unprecedented effort to disclose their activities, and that means more accountability. As a result, the state lobbying law is working the way we intended.

My rewrite of the law clarified and broadened the registration requirements to include anyone lobbying any legislator, constitutional officer or key member of their staffs. It also expanded the definition of lobbying, which now includes efforts to influence the law-making process, contracts, purchases and rule-making.

Registered lobbyists are required to report all spending made on behalf of state officials, including travel and lodging; meals, beverages and other entertainment; gifts; and honoraria. All expenditures exceeding $100 must be itemized.

Lobbyist spending for all of 1993 — the last year under the former law — totaled $384,628. However, a single entity, public interest group Common Cause, reported $67,722 of the total.

Before the reform, that organization typically reported its entire operational budget, even though it spent no funds in ways that now must be disclosed. This year, Common Cause, which was a key supporter of my reform effort, was among the two-thirds of registered lobbying groups reporting they bought no entertainment, gifts or honoraria for state decision makers.

To date, about 425 lobbyist groups have reported spending. By far the greatest portion of expenditures — about 80 percent — were for meals, beverages and other entertainment.

The second-largest share — about 14 percent — went for giveaways, including tickets, T-shirts, viewing glasses for the annular solar eclipse, coffee mugs, key chains and free museum passes for legislators. The re-

March 1995 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 17

maining spending was split between travel and lodging, and honoraria.

While capturing more donations than ever, the law also has been successful in registering far more people in the business of lobbying state government.

By the end of last year, my office had registered 4,222 lobbyists, quadruple the number — 1,003 — registering for all of 1993. Those 4,222 lobbyists represented 1,541 lobbying organizations, which under the law are required to file annual and semi-annual disclosure reports.

About 85 percent of the groups had filed by January 31. Late filers paid a $50 fee, and the fine jumped to $100 after 15 days. The next filing is due July 31.

Some questioned whether this law would bring real reform, but I think it is clear that the first year shows the law has been a success. We are setting new records for both lobbyist registration and spending disclosures, and the public already has learned far more about the state of lobbying activity in Illinois

Page 18 / Illinois Municipal Review / March 1995