State Government Committee to Consider New Rules for Lobbyists

October 22, 2021

WHAT:  The House State Government Committee will meet Monday to consider several bills to increase openness and transparency in the lobbying process, limit the influence of professional lobbyists and hold lobbyists to a higher standard of ethical conduct.

The bills to be considered at the meeting are: 

• House Bill 1009 by Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) would implement targeted prohibitions on the acceptance of certain gifts, transportation, lodging and hospitality by public officials and public employees.
• House Bill 1599 by Rep. Joe Kerwin (R-Dauphin/Schuylkill) and Rep. Brett Miller (R-Lancaster) would require lobbyists to disclose and register any lobbying client conflict with the Department of State.
• House Bill1600 by Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery) would require campaign consultants who operate within the Commonwealth to register with the Department of State.
• House Bill 1601 by Reps. Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming/Union), Kerwin and Miller would require lobbyists to register with the Department of State any equity they may hold in an entity on behalf of which they are lobbying.
• House Bill 1603 by Reps. Andrew Lewis (R-Dauphin) and Dawn Keefer (R-York) would prohibit campaign consultants from concurrently being registered lobbyists and engaging in lobbying elected officials.
• House Bill 1605 by Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware) would prohibit lobbyists from receiving/paying referral payments from/to another individual, lobbying firm or campaign consultant.
• House Bill 1606 by Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) would implement recommendations made by the House Government Oversight Committee – including making lobbyists primary reporters, strengthening audit requirements and restructuring the fees used to pay for the administration of the lobby disclosure law.  
• House Bill 1607 by Reps. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon), Perry Stambaugh (R-Perry/Cumberland), Keefer and Miller would prohibit any state entity from hiring an outside lobbyist or consultant to influence the Legislature, administration or judiciary.
• House Bill 1608 by Stambaugh and Kerwin would prohibit new employees of the General Assembly who were previously a registered lobbyist from being lobbied for one year after their registered lobby status expired. 
• House Bill 1609 by Reps. Matthew Dowling (R-Fayette/Somerset) and Brian Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana) would require all registered lobbyists to complete a mandatory ethics training on an annual basis.
• House Resolution 114 by Rep. Bryan Cutler would urge the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to reform its rules to promote openness, transparency and greater confidence in the integrity of the judiciary, judicial employees and attorneys formerly employed by government entities.

WHO:   Committee Chairman Seth Grove (R-York) will be joined by members of the committee, as well as bill sponsors. 

WHEN:  Monday, Oct. 25, at 9 a.m. 

WHERE: Room 515, Irvis Office Building, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.

LIVE WEBSTREAMING: The meeting will be livestreamed at PaHouseGOP.com. 

Media contact: Greg Gross, 717.260.6374, ggross@pahousegop.com