Transcription
State of WisconsinEthics CommissionWisconsin LobbyingUser’s GuideJuly [email protected]; 08) 266-8123
TABLE OF CONTENTSWisconsin Lobbying . 1General Site Overview . 3Searching . 3User Accounts and Passwords . 4Creating an Account . 4Resetting a Password . 5Change Password . 6Forgotten Account Information . 6Lobbyist Licenses. 7Applying for a New Lobbyist License . 8Amending a Lobbyist License . 10Surrendering a Lobbyist License . 11Principal Registration and Lobbyist Authorization . 12Principal Registration and Lobbyist Authorization . 13Amending a Principal Registration . 17Ceasing a Principal Registration . 18Paying Fees. 19Lobbying Interest/15-Day Reporting . 21Legislative Proposals . 21Budget Bill Subjects . 22Administrative Rules . 23Topics . 24Amending a Lobbying Interest/15-Day Report . 25Statements of Lobbying Activities and Expenditures (SLAEs) . 26Lobbyist Time Report . 27Non-Lobbyist Time Report . 31Time and Expenditure Summary. 33Allocation of Lobbying Effort . 38FOCUS . 42Subscribe to FOCUS . 42Manage FOCUS Subscription. 42Contact the Ethics Commission. 44
General Site OverviewLobbying.wi.gov (WI Lobbying) is Wisconsin’s lobbying activity reporting system. The system is used for: Lobbyist licensing and authorization;Lobbyist principal registration;Reporting lobbying activities and expenditures; andViewing lobbying-related information by the public.Members of the public do not need a user account to access the site.SearchingThere are two ways to search for lobbyist and principal information. You can click either: “Who is Lobbying?,” or“What are they Lobbying About?”.The Lobbying website uses an inclusive search technique. For example, searching for “tax” would returnresults for tax, taxes, taxpayer, taxation, payroll tax, and other terms that include the word tax. Using a morespecific term like “taxation,” would not match with the word “tax.”When searching for statutes, use a broad search term like “13” which would match with any reference toChapter 13 of the Wisconsin Statutes. A more specific term like “13.63” would limit results to only thoserelated to WIS. STAT. § 13.63 which covers lobbyist licensing.If you are searching using a lobbyist’s name and are unsure of spelling, use a partial name such as “Beth” forsomeone named Elizabeth or Elisabeth.Full directories can be generated and downloaded by clicking “Who Is Lobbying?”. From there, chooselicensed lobbyists, lobbying principals, or state agency legislative liaisons. Finally, click Generate Directory PDFor Generate Directory Excel at the top of the page.3
User Accounts and PasswordsUser accounts are not necessary to search for and view lobbying information. A user account is needed to: Register a lobbying principal or amend a current registration; Obtain a lobbyist license or amend a current license; or Complete a report of lobbying interest, statement of lobbying activities and expenditures, or legislativeliaisons report.Creating an Account1. To create a user account, click Log On in the header menu.2. Click Create User Account.3. Enter First Name, Last Name, Email Address, preferred Username, and Password. Usernames generallyuse the formula FirstnameLastname (e.g. JoeJones).4. Click Create Account. The user account has been created! A confirmation email will be sent to theemail address used to create the account.4
Resetting a PasswordUser Account passwords can be reset if forgotten.1. Click Log On in the header menu.2. Click the Forgot Password? link on the screen.3. Enter the Username in the available field.4. Click Reset Password. A new system-assigned password will be sent to the email associated with theaccount.5
5. The reset password email will come from [email protected], and will look like this:Change PasswordUser Account passwords can be changed at any time.1. Log into your user account (not pictured).2. In the upper-right-hand corner of the screen, click the dropdown arrow next to your username in theheader menu.3. Click Change Password.4. Enter the current password first and the new password in the New Password and Confirm NewPassword fields, then click Change Password (not pictured).Forgotten Account InformationDo not create a new user account if there are problems logging in. Contact the EthicsCommission if there are any issues: (608)266-8123 or [email protected]
Lobbyist LicensesAn individual must obtain a lobbyist license if they are employed by and/or receive compensation from alobbying principal for the purpose of lobbying (attempting to influence legislative or administrative action byoral or written communication) on behalf of that principal and if they: Make any lobbying communications if their duties are limited exclusively to the statutory definition oflobbyingOR Make lobbying communications on each of at least 5 days within a reporting period if their duties arenot limited to the statutory definition of lobbyingWIS. STAT. § 13.62(11)Exceptions: Individuals acting on behalf of themselves need not be licensed or authorized. Individuals representing the views of a business or organization but doing so as an unpaid volunteerneed not be licensed or authorized. Individuals representing the views of a business or organization they receive payment from but conveythose views only to legislators elected from the Senate and Assembly districts in which they reside,need not be licensed or authorized.WIS. STAT. § 13.621Lobbyist licenses are valid for one legislative session and expire on December 31st of every even-numberedyear. The Ethics Commission accepts lobbyist license renewals starting on December 1st of every evennumbered year.Information on the Lobbyist License Form Lobbyist name; Residential address (optional, this information is kept confidential and is only used during theCommission’s lobbyist campaign contribution audit); Title/Division (optional); Employer; Mailing address; Location address (if different than mailing); Phone number(s); Email address; Single/multiple principal license; Usernames to give lobbyist permissions to; and Social security number (this information is kept confidential and is only used to perform statutorilyrequired checks).WIS. STAT. § 13.637
Applying for a New Lobbyist License1. Log in to the lobbyist’s user account and click Dashboard at the top of the page.2. Click Start Application in theLobbyist Licenses tile.3. Enter the lobbyist’s information.All fields with an asterisk arerequired (not pictured). Chooseeither a single principal lobbyistlicense or a multiple principallobbyist license. This will place theappropriate fees in the Fees Cart.4. Optional: Upload a photo of the user for their profile page.5. Add User Permissions is optional and allows other users access to this account to pay fees, file reports,or edit information. Click Add User Permission, then enter a username and assign permissions. Pleasebe sure to click Save before moving on to the next section.6. Click Save And Continue at the bottom of the page (not pictured).8
7. Enter the lobbyist’s Social Security Number. The Ethics Commission uses this in collaboration withother agencies to verify eligibility to hold a lobbyist license. WIS. STAT. § 13.63(1)b.8. Certify that the information is correct. Once eligibility is confirmed and the lobbyist license fee is paid,the user is able to legally lobby in the state of Wisconsin for the current session. WIS. STAT. § 13.63(1).NOTE: Lobbyists are not licensed until the Ethics Commission receives the lobbyist‘slicense fee payment and eligibility is confirmed with the Department of Children andFamilies, Department of Workforce Development, and Department of Revenue.9
Amending a Lobbyist License1. Log into the lobbyist’s user account and go to the Dashboard.2. Find the Lobbyist Licenses tile and click the pencil icon to the left of the lobbyist’s name.3. View a lobbyist license by clicking View Details.4. Click Amend Lobbying License to edit the license.5. Edit lobbyist contact information, residential address, license type, photo, or user permissions. ClickSave and Continue at the bottom of the page when finished (not pictured).6. Click Certify. If you changed from a single principal license to a multiple principal license, a new feewill be available in your Fees Cart on the Dashboard.10
Surrendering a Lobbyist License1. Log into your user account, go to the Dashboard and click the pencil icon next to the lobbyist name(see steps 1 & 2 above).2. Click Surrender Lobbyist License (not pictured).3. Select a Lobbying Surrender Status. If you have any time for the current reporting period, you must fileyour time report before surrendering your license.4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Certify (not pictured).11
Principal Registration and LobbyistAuthorizationA “principal” is any business, organization, or person which employs or pays a lobbyist in any capacity. WIS.STAT. § 13.62(12). Principals registered during a previous registration need to renew their registration eachsession. Please contact the Wisconsin Ethics Commission if there are any questions about past registrationinformation.Any person who is a principal by statutory definition and does not anticipate spending 500 or more onlobbying activities may register with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission as a Limited Principal. Persons whobelieve they are eligible for a limited principal registration must contact the Ethics Commission before theirapplication will be approved. WIS. STAT. § 13.621.Information on the Principal Registration Form: Principal name; Contact person; Principal mailing address; Location address (if different than mailing); Correspondence contact person (optional); Principal nature/interest – business entity, industry/trade/professional association, governmental (notfor profit), labor union (not for profit), charitable/religious/civic/other not for profit, or individual; Agencies to be lobbied; Full or limited lobbying status; Lobbyists to authorize; and Additional user permissions (optional).WIS. STATS. §§ 13.64, 13.6512
Principal Registration and Lobbyist Authorization1. Log in to your user account and navigate to your Dashboard.2. Click Start Application in the Principal Registration tile.3. Type in the name of your principal in the Principal field. If the principal was registered in the previoussession, it should appear for you to select in the dropdown menu. Once you are done, click RegisterPrincipal.4. Enter the principal information; all fields with an asterisk are required (not pictured).5. Select the appropriate area of interest that best suits the principal (not pictured).6. Enter the information for your type of principal. All fields with a red asterisk are required (notpictured).13
7. Enter the policy areas that the organization may attempt to influence during the legislative session. Donot provide vague and uninformative statements such as “All matters related to the regulation ofmanufacturing.” Instead, be as descriptive as possible. WIS. STAT. § 13.67(1). This will assist members ofthe public, legislative employees, and others in finding the principal in searches. Please also select theappropriate response regarding whether the principal will be lobbying state agencies, and if so, whichagencies. If you are not certain, it is recommended that you leave ‘All’ selected.8. Designate whether the principal will perform full or limited lobbying activities.14
9. Click Add Lobbyist.10. Type in the search field the lobbyist’s name. Click on the name of the lobbyist to authorize. Thelobbyist’s information will autofill. Choose the correct choice for the relationship between principaland lobbyist: duties exclusively limited to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action orduties not exclusively limited to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action. WIS. STAT. §13.62(11). Lastly, click Save.11. If more lobbyists need to be authorized, repeat steps 9 and 10. If you need to remove or edit anauthorization, click the Edit button.15
12. Verify user permissions tothe principal’s account.The principal controlswhich users have theability to pay fees, submitreports, and amendregistration information. Ifother users do not needto be added at this time,click Save and Continue atthe bottom of the page.To add other users, clickAdd User Permission,type the username, selectthe account, and choosethe permissions. Thenclick Save and Continue.13. Verify the Principal Registration page for accuracy and click Certify at the bottom of the page (notpictured). This will place the appropriate fees in the Fees Cart. Once fees are paid and Commission staffactivate the account, the principal can register for or against legislative matters and complete allrequired lobbying reporting activities.16
Amending a Principal RegistrationPrincipals may amend their registration statement if they need to update contact information, add or deleteuser permissions, or authorize or withdraw lobbyists.1. Log into your user account and go to theDashboard (not pictured).2. Find the Principal Registration tile and clickthe pencil icon next to the principal name.3. You can click View Details to look at theprincipal’s registration information withoutediting.4. To edit information, click Amend PrincipalRegistration.5. Make your changes. Please see the previoussection for more information on howto fill out a principal registration, edituser permissions, or authorizelobbyists.6. To withdraw a lobbyist’sauthorization, click Edit. Then checkthe Withdraw Lobbyist box and save.7. Once you are done editing theregistration, click Save and Continueat the bottom of the page (notpictured).8. Click Certify at the bottom of the next page (not pictured). Please be sure to pay any new fees ifyou authorized new lobbyists.17
Ceasing a Principal RegistrationPrincipal registrations are valid for one legislative session and expire on December 31 st of every evennumbered year. WIS. STAT. § 13.64(2). Starting on December 1st of every even-numbered year, the EthicsCommission accepts principal registration renewals. Use the following steps to cease a principal registrationprior to the end of a legislative session.1. Log into your user account and go to your Dashboard (not pictured).2. Find the Principal Registration tile and click the pencil icon next to the name of the principal that youwould like to cease (not pictured).3. Click Cease Principal Activities.4. Select one of the options in the Principal Cessation Status area. Any activity must be reported beforeceasing principal activities.5. Click Certify at the bottom of the page (not pictured).18
Paying FeesThere are three steps a lobbying organization (principal) must take to remain compliant with lobbying law:1. License the organization’s lobbyist(s);2. Register the organization; and3. Authorize its lobbyist(s).There are different fees for each of these steps. WIS. STAT. § 13.75. Fees will accrue through the licensing,registration, and authorization process, which can be paid online with a credit/debit card, bank account, orcheck. Fees paid with a credit card will generate a convenience fee included with the total at checkout.NOTE: Fees are only visible in user accounts that have been given permission by alobbyist or principal to pay fees.1. Log into your account and go to your Dashboard (not pictured). You will see all fees that you havepermission to pay in the Fees Cart.19
2. Select the fees to pay by checking Select All or checking the box to the left of each itemized fee thatyou would like to pay. Then click Checkout.3. Click Pay Online or Pay with Cash or Check (not pictured).4. If you select PayOnline, an ePaymentServices windowwill come up.Make sure theAmount Due iscorrect and savethe ReferenceNumber for record keeping. Fill out the contact information and choose the payment method.5. Fill in credit card or bank account information and click Continue.6. Verify the payment details, payment method, billing address, and contact information. Click Confirm(not pictured). Please keep a paper or electronic copy of the payment confirmation for records.7. For cash or check payments click Pay with Cash or Check to generate a PDF invoice in an additionalbrowser window. Print and return it either by mail or in-person to pay by check, or in-person only forcash.Veterans – please visit the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs website to checkfor eligibility for a free lobbyist oyment/Fee-Waiver-List.aspx20
Lobbying Interest/15-Day ReportingOnce registered, principals must report to the Ethics Commission each bill, budget bill subject, proposed rule,and topic on which the organization makes a lobbying communication. These reports must be filed with theEthics Commission within 15 days of the first lobbying communication on the bill/subject/topic/rule. WIS. STAT.§ 13.67. Do not wait until Statements of Lobby and Expenditures (SLAE) are due to file Lobbying Interest/15day reports.If a topic is going through many legislative transformations, the reporting on that topic should reflect the stateof the matter at the time of communication with officials. For example: if a principal lobbies on a topic andbelieves it may be included in the upcoming budget proposal, it must be reported as a topic first. If the topic isthen taken up in the budget bill and the principal continues to lobby on it, the topic should now be reported asa budget bill subject. If that is removed from the budget but is still being lobbied on as a standalone bill, itshould again be reported as a topic. If that topic is introduced as a standalone bill, lobbying activity on it mustnow be reported as a legislative proposal.Required Information for Submitting a Lobbying Interest/15-Day Report: Legislative Proposal:o House (Senate/Assembly)o Proposal type (bill, resolution, jointresolution)o Bill numbero Sessiono Interest communication date (ifapplicable)o Reporting periodo Positiono CommentsBudget Bill Subject:o Name of budget bill subjecto Interest communication date (ifapplicable)o Reporting periodo Positiono Comments Proposed Rules:o Agency nameo Proposed rule numbero Interest communication date (ifapplicable)o Reporting Periodo Positiono CommentsTopics:o Interest communication date (ifapplicable)o Reporting periodo Topic subjecto Action type (legislative matter/Ruleby state agency/both legislativematter and ruleBudget Bill Subjects are published generally within a few days of the proposal of thebudget, with titles from their “relating to” clause, and may not exactly match a topic.This is not an error, but is because topic titles are determined by principals when theyself-report.21
Filing a Lobbying Interest/15-Day Report1. Log into your user account and go to your Dashboard. If a principal has given you permission to fileLobbying Interest/15-Day Reports, you will see a tile titled Lobbying Interests.2. Click Manage Interests in the Lobbying Interests tile.3. Click Add Interest next to thetype of report you would liketo file. To filter existingreports, use the Principal andInterest Type dropdownmenus.20
Legislative Proposals1. Select a Principal and then usethe Legislative Proposal fieldto search for the bill, jointresolution, or resolution bynumber or by keyword in thebill’s “relating to” clause. Thenselect a Reporting Period. TheNotification Date will defaultto the date you are submittingthe report. You cannot changethis date.2. Make a selection in theCommunication Informationsection. If you indicate thatyou have alreadycommunicated on the matter,you will also be asked to reporta Communication Date, whichshould be the date of your firstcommunication on the matter(not pictured).3. Select a Position.4. Optional: Enter comments, anexternal URL, or upload asupporting document. The sitesupports .doc, .docx, and .pdfdocuments.5. Click Save to file the report. Once the report is filed, a confirmation email will be sent to the principal’scontact email address.21
Budget Bill SubjectsBudget bill subjects are published by the Wisconsin Ethics Commission after publication by the LegislativeReferences Bureau. Until budget bills subjects are published, they should be reported as topics in LobbyingInterest/15-day reports.1. Select a Principal, Budget BillSubject, and Reporting Period.The Notification Date will defaultto the date you are submitting thereport. You cannot change thisdate.2. Make a selection in theCommunication Informationsection. If you indicate that youhave already communicated onthe matter, you will also be askedto report a Communication Date,which should be the date of yourfirst communication on thematter (not pictured).3. Optional: Enter comments,an external URL, or upload asupporting document. The sitesupports .doc, .docx, and .pdfdocuments.4. Click Save to file the report.Once the report is filed, aconfirmation email will be sent tothe principal’s contact emailaddress.22
Administrative Rules1. Select a Principal then select theAgency that is proposing the rulefrom the drop-down menu. Next,use the Administrative Rule fieldto search for the rule by numberor name. The Notification Datewill default to the date you aresubmitting the report. Youcannot change this date.2. Make a selection in theCommunication Informationsection. If you indicate that youhave already communicated onthe matter, you will also be askedto report a Communication Date,which should be the date of yourfirst communication on thematter (not pictured).3. Select a Position.4. Optional: Enter comments, anexternal URL, or upload asupporting document. The sitesupports .doc, .docx, and .pdfdocuments.5. Click Save to file the report. Oncethe report is filed, a confirmationemail will be sent to theprincipal’s contact email address.23
Topics1. Select a Principal and type in aTopic Subject. Then select anAction Type, Topic Category, andReporting Period. Action Type canbe thought of as the goal of thecommunication. The NotificationDate will default to the date youare submitting the report. Youcannot change this date.2. Make a selection in theCommunication Informationsection. If you indicate that youhave already communicated onthe matter, you will also be askedto report a Communication Date,which should be the date of yourfirst communication on the matter(not pictured).3. Optional: Enter comments, anexternal URL, or upload asupporting document. The sitesupports .doc, .docx, and .pdfdocuments.4. Click Save to file the report. Oncethe report is filed, a confirmationemail will be sent to the principal’scontact email address.NOTE: Do not use “All matters relating to X” as a topic. Topics must be specific and should besimilar to a bill’s “relating to clause.” If you have questions about how to title a topic, pleasecontact the Ethics Commission.Do not describe the communication that took place (e.g., “Spoke with Rep. X’s office about thepossible effects Y could have on Z and set up another meeting”). Be as informative as possiblewhile remaining succinct.24
Amending a Lobbying Interest/15-Day ReportIf information in a previous Lobbying Interest/15-Day Report was entered incorrectly, or the principal orlobbyist would like to change any information in the Lobbying Interest/15-Day Report, they can do so byamending that report. The site will only allow you to delete a Lobbying Interest/15-day report within 24 hoursof first reporting it. If you need to delete a report after the initial 24 hours, please contact Ethics Commissionstaff.1. Log into your user account and go to your Dashboard (not pictured).2. Click Manage Interests in the Lobbying Interests tile (not pictured).3. Optional: If you havereporting permissions formultiple principals and/orhave a large number ofreported interests, you canuse the Principal andInterest Type dropdownmenus to filter yourreports.4. To view (but not edit)the details for a report,click the arrow icon nextto the Edit button.5. Click Edit to modify ordelete a report.6. Click Remove todelete a report (notpictured).7. Once you are doneediting, be sure to clickSave before leaving thepage (not pictured).NOTE: Please refrain from amending reports more than necessary. If you areexperiencing issues with how to report or find yourself consistently amendinginformation, please contact the Ethics Commission.25
Statements of Lobbying Activities andExpenditures (SLAEs)Each registered lobbying principal must complete a Statement of Lobbying Activity and Expenditures (SLAE)every six months of the two-year legislative session. There are five steps to complete an SLAE, which areoutlined in the following subsections.Required Information for the Statement of Lobbying Activity and Expenditures: Lobbyist time report;Non-Lobbyist time report;Time and Expenditure Summary;o Lobbyists: Hours and Payments; Lobbying payments; Reimbursement for travel expenses; Reimbursement for all other expenses;o Non-Lobbyist Employees: Hours, Compensation, and Reimbursement; Salary attributable to lobbying; Reimbursement for travel expenses;o Public Relations, Research, Volunteer Expenses, and Other Lobbying; Public relations; Paid advertising (if in excess of 500 in one six-month period); Research E
Wisconsin Lobbying User's Guide July 2022 State of Wisconsin . click Generate Directory PDF or Generate Directory Excel at the top of the page. 4 User Accounts and Passwords User accounts are not necessary to search for and view lobbying information. A user account is needed to: . manufacturing. _ Instead, be as descriptive as possible .
