NOW IS THE TIME FOR LOBBYING LAW REFORM By SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE H. RYAN

Illinois' Lobbyist Registration Act fails to send a clear message about who must register, what they should report and how they should go about reporting it. Despite many well-intentioned efforts, the law has stood untouched since 1973.

I recently urged a Senate committee to approve lobby law reforms even if it adopts no other ethics measures in this session of the General Assembly. Senate Bill 900 is the only proposal that specifically requires disclosure of efforts to lobby ALL constitutional officers and their cabinets. It is also the only proposal requiring lobbyists to disclose all spending on large receptions. Passing SB900 is a must if we are to address the serious shortcomings of this state's lobbying law.

The Secretary of State's office administers the law, which was first enacted in 1969. Today, about 800 lobbyists are registered.

The need for reforms was highlighted by last year's lobbying effort to secure land-based casinos for Chicago. People on both sides of the casino campaign claimed that they spent millions of dollars advancing their respective causes, but you wouldn't know it under our current disclosure laws.

In fact, had the casino interests reported even $1 million in expenditures, it would have been nearly three times as much as ALL lobbyists reported spending, on ALL causes, for ALL of 1992.

My proposal to close loopholes and mandate full disclosure has won the support of Governor Jim Edgar and major public interest groups, such as Common Cause. The key provisions of my proposal for change are:

. Broadening the definition of lobbyist to include anyone who tries to influence a constitutional officer or Executive Branch agency.

. Requiring reporting of all lobbying expenditures, whether made to influence legislation, rulemaking, contracts or purchasing.

. Requiring lobbying expenditures to be categorized and itemized. The current law lists items that need not be reported, but is silent on what types of expenditures must be reported.

. Creating a new array of penalties, including fines up to $10,000 and a three-year suspension for serious infractions. Also proposed is a system of lesser fines, ranging up to $1,500, to encourage lobbyists to file reports on time.

. Requiring lobbyist disclosure of any immediate family member who holds a position with State Government.

. Reducing lobbyist reporting periods from three to two each year, in line with a Common Cause recommendation.

Senate sponsors for SB900 include Sens. Thomas J.McCracken (R-Downers Grove), Doris C. Karpiel (R-Carol Stream) and Carl E. Hawkinson (R-Galesburg).

Illinois' lobbying law is vague and, as it stands now, almost impossible to enforce. In fact, its penalties have never been enforced. Currently, any violation of the act is a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison.

The law's most serious weakness is that it requires registration only of people who intend to lobby the General Assembly or the Governor on a legislative matter. That is a very limited view of what goes on.

The reality is that a significant number of people are hired to influence state policy-making decisions, regulatory decisions and decisions on contracts and purchasing. These decisions are no less important than those made by the General Assembly.

Nothing in this proposal should be considered a criticism of lobbying as an institution. Lobbyists serve a legitimate role in a democratic system. Many provide expert information to state officials, thereby enhancing the decision-making process.

They are the key players. Therefore, the public has a right to expect a full accounting of their activities, who pays their salaries and what they spend on behalf of state officials.

The changes I am proposing are workable and realistic, and they have a real chance at getting passed. I am not interested in tilting at windmills. It is time to bring the law into the 1990s and to shine new light on the activities of people who are paid to have an impact on State Government.

April 1993 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 9