ARTICLE IV. LOBBYIST REGISTRATION (2-156-210 et seq.)

2-156-210 Persons required to register.

   Each lobbyist shall register and file reports with the board of ethics as provided in this article. This section shall extend to any person who undertakes to influence any legislative or administrative action as any part of his duties as an employee of another, regardless of whether such person is formally designated as a lobbyist by his employer.

(Prior code § 26.2-21; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50892; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1)

2-156-220 Persons or entities not required to register.

   This article is not intended and shall not be construed to apply to the following:

   (a)   Persons who own, publish or are employed by a newspaper or other regularly published periodical, or who own or are employed by a radio station, television station or other news medium which, in the ordinary course of business, disseminates to the general public news, editorial or other comment, or paid advertisements which directly urge the passage or defeat of, action upon, any legislative or administrative matter. This exemption shall not be applicable to such persons insofar as they receive additional compensation or expenses from any other source for undertaking to influence legislative or administrative action;

   (b)   Officials and employees of the City of Chicago, or of any other unit of government, who appear in their official capacities before any city agency for the purpose of explaining the effect of any legislative or administrative matter pending before such body;

   (c)   Persons who participate in drafting Municipal Code or other ordinance revisions at the request of the city; or

   (d)   Persons who testify publicly before the city council, a committee or other subdivision of the city council, or any city agency, department, board or commission. This exemption (d) shall apply only to the extent that such persons appear in the foregoing capacity. If such persons also engage in activities for which this article otherwise requires them to register, they shall so register for those activities.

(Prior code § 26.2-22; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1)

2-156-230 Information required of registrants.

   No later than January 20th of each year, or within five business days of engaging in any activity which requires such person to register, every person required to register shall file with the board of ethics a certified written statement on a form prescribed by the board containing the following information:

   (a)   The registrant's name, permanent address and temporary address (if any) while lobbying;

   (b)   With respect to each client and each business entity on behalf of which the registrant expects to act as a lobbyist:

      (i)   The name, business address, permanent address and nature of the business of the client or business entity;

      (ii)   Whether the relationship is expected to involve compensation or expenditures or both; and

      (iii)   The name of each city agency before which the registrant expects to lobby.

   (c)   If such registrant is retained by another business entity pursuant to a written agreement of retainer or employment, a copy of such agreement shall be attached. If the agreement of retainer is oral, a written statement of the substance thereof shall be attached.

   (d)   The registration statement required under this section shall be accompanied by a written statement certifying that all information contained therein is true and correct, and a registration fee of $350.00 per person identified as a lobbyist in the registration statement. In addition to this registration fee of $350.00 per person, there shall also be an annual fee of $75.00 for each additional registered client after the first client. Provided, however, that the board shall consider and may, in accordance with objective criteria established by rule, grant a waiver or reduction of the registration and client fees required under this subsection (d) for a specific lobbyist, upon written request in a format and accompanied by such proof as may be specified by the board, based on the following: The lobbyist is a person paid to lobby by a non-profit entity with for-profit members and either (i) the person's primary lobbying responsibilities are to foster small business initiatives primarily within a single official community area or neighborhood within the meaning of Section 1-14-010 , or (ii) the non-profit entity has been approved or is pending approval by the city council to be a special service area service provider for the city.

(Prior code § 26.2-23; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39840, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-09, p. 73199, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 7-28-11, p. 4941, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. IX, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-13-13, p. 46730, § 1)

 

Notes

1-14-010

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2-156-240 Amendment of registration statements.

   In the event any substantial change or addition occurs with respect to the information required by this article to be contained in the registration statement, an amendment to the statement shall be filed with the board of ethics within 14 days.

(Prior code § 26.2-24; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1)

2-156-245 Failure to register.

   When the board of ethics determines that any person has failed to register as required in this article, the board of ethics shall notify such person, in a manner prescribed by the board, of his failure to register. Such person shall be subject to the penalty or penalties, as applicable, provided in Article VII of this Chapter.

   The board of ethics shall suspend the registration of and not accept a lobbyist registration statement from any person who owes a fine pursuant to this chapter until the fine has been paid in full.

(Added Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-09, p. 73199, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 7-25-12, p. 31123, § 1)

2-156-250 Reports of lobbying activities.

   No later than January 20th, April 20th, July 20th and October 20th of each year, each registrant shall file with the board of ethics a written report of lobbying activities during the previous three calendar months. The report shall be on a form prescribed by the board, which may include electronic submission, and shall contain:

   (a)   The registrant's name, permanent address, and temporary address (if any) while lobbying;

   (b)   With respect to each client:

      (i)   The name, business and permanent address and nature of business of the client and of any other business entities on whose behalf lobbying was performed;

      (ii)   A statement of the amount of compensation received from each client;

      (iii)   The name of each city agency before which the registrant lobbied and a brief description of the legislation or administrative action involved;

   (c)   The total amount of expenditures, outside his own business entity, for lobbying in each of the following categories:

      (i)   Office expenses;

      (ii)   Public education, advertising and publications;

      (iii)   Compensation to others;

      (iv)   Personal sustenance, lodging and travel;

      (v)   Other expenses; provided, however, that each expenditure of $250.00 or more shall also be itemized by the date of the expenditure, the amount, purpose and beneficiary of the expenditure, the name, address and nature of business of the recipient, and the legislative or administrative action, if any, in connection with which said expenditure was made;

   (d)   An itemized list of every gift given to any official or employee of the city; and

   (e)   An itemized list of every political contribution made to any of the following persons: (1) any candidate for city office; (2) any elected official of the government of the city; and (3) any official or employee of the city seeking election to an office other than a city office.

   (f)   Upon receipt of the quarterly report required under subsection (a) of this section, the board of ethics shall, without delay, post such report on the on-line system required under subsection (m) of Section 2-156-380.

(Prior code § 26.2-25; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-97, p. 50892; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-28-11, p. 4941, § 8; Amend Coun. J. 2-13-13, p. 46730, § 1)

2-156-260 Inactive lobbyists.

   Registrants who received no compensation and made no expenditures during a three-month reporting period shall nevertheless file reports as required herein. Such reports shall state that no compensation was received and no expenditures were made during the reporting period.

(Prior code § 26.2-26; Added Coun. J. 5-16-90, p. 16204; Amend Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32667, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-29-15, p. 3567, § 1)