Committee Approves New Rules for Lobbying in Pennsylvania

October 25, 2021

HARRISBURG – Working to make sure the voices of Pennsylvania outweigh the wallets of lobbying firms that pay to influence policymakers, the House State Government Committee approved with bipartisan support a package of legislation to modernize and reform lobbying laws, Rep. Seth Grove (R-York), chairman of the committee, announced today.

“I applaud Speaker Bryan Cutler for spearheading this bill package and bringing ideas for meaningful reform to fruition,” Grove said. “The unanimous votes on nearly every bill shows it is very clear the will of the General Assembly and the people’s voice is louder than special interest groups.”

Included in the 11 bills approved by the committee is House Bill 1606. The legislation would implement recommendations made by the House Government Oversight Committee – would require lobbyists to report every dollar spent, removing the current threshold of $2,500

Grove was chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee when it released in 2019 a comprehensive bipartisan report calling for dramatic reform to Pennsylvania’s lobby laws.

The additional bills approved by the committee 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 Bill 1600 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 file annual statements of financial interests like those already filed by public officials and employees.
• 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 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 put restrictions on lobbying new employees of the General Assembly or executive departments or agencies who were previously registered lobbyists.
• 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 Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster): 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.

Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com / Facebook.com/RepSethGrove