Public Markup

The Lobbying Disclosure Act is amended to require registered lobbyists monthly reports to include expenditures for paid advertising when such advertising:

1. 
   

   Refers to Federal legislation;

   
   


2. 
   

   Reflects a point of view on the legislation;

   
   


3. 
   

   Includes a call to action to the general public to take action in respect to the legislation; and

   
   


4. 
   

   Relates to issues which the registered lobbyist has engaged in direct lobbying during the same reporting period.

   
   

A "call to action" is a statement in a paid advertisement that:

1. 
   

   States that the recipient of the message should contact a legislator or other relevant government employee for the purposes of influencing legislation; or

   
   


2. 
   

   states the address, telephone number, or similar information regarding a legislator or legislative body employee; or

   
   


3. 
   

   provides a petition or post card of similar means for the recipient to contact a legislator or legislative body employee; or

   
   


4. 
   

   specifically identifies a legislator or legislators who will vote on the legislation as being opposed to or undecided about the organizations view on the legislation or a member of a legislative (sub)committee which will vote on the legislation.

   
   


5. 
   

   Identifying the sponsor of a bill would not be considered a call to action.

   
   

Disclosure of paid advertising include the following shall include:

1. 
   

   The amount spent on paid advertising

   
   


2. 
   

   The client name

   
   


3. 
   

   The person or entity paid to for design and production of the paid advertising, and

   
   


4. 
   

   Issue area code.

   
   

The term 'paid advertising’ means communications on television, radio, billboards, and general circulation newspapers and magazines for which a fee is paid.