SB 719

The bill reorganizes the statutes prohibiting and permitting certain activities

by lobbyists and principals, and by candidates and elected officials who interact with

lobbyists and principals. The bill also eliminates a requirement that the Ethics

Commission regularly, during the course of a legislative session, give reports to the

legislature that provide information about licensed lobbyists, principals, and their

lobbying activities.

Under current law, no lobbyist or principal may give to a state official,

legislative employee, or candidate for state office lodging, transportation, food,

meals, beverages, or any other thing of value. However, a principal may give

something of value to such persons if that thing of value is also made available to the

general public. Current law defines a “principal” as any person who employs a

lobbyist.

Under current law, every state public official is encouraged to meet with clubs,

conventions, special interest groups, political groups, school groups, and other

gatherings to discuss and interpret legislative, administrative, executive, or judicial

processes, proposals, and issues. Consistent with that provision, the bill allows an

agency official, an elected state public official, or a legislative employee to attend a

meeting with such groups for the purposes specified under current law without

paying the cost of admission. However, under the bill, the person may not receive

food, beverages, or other items included in the cost of admission unless the person

pays the event organizer, including a principal or lobbyist, for the actual cost of the

food, beverages, or items.

Under current law, the code of ethics for public officials applies not only to state

public officials, but also to certain local public officials such as an elected official of

a local governmental unit, a county administrator, and a city or village manager.

Under the bill, the code of ethics for public officials applies also to a school district

administrator. Current law defines “school district administrator” as the school

district superintendent, supervising principal, or other person who acts as the

administrative head of a school district.

Finally, the bill makes a technical change by substituting the term “give” with

the term “furnish.” The term was changed from “furnish” to “give” by

2015 Wisconsin

Act 117

, but that change is not consistent with the use of the term “furnish”

throughout the current lobbying law.