Moeller wants ‘transparency in the
work and activities of lobbyists’

Legislation would ‘make it easier for citizens to follow the money trail’

February 5, 2009

OLYMPIA – State Rep. Jim Moeller has invested six years advocating speedier, more convenient public access to information about the political dealings of lobbyists. This legislative session might just see the Vancouver Democrat win final approval.
Moeller is prime-sponsoring a measure (HB 1436) that would require lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and public agencies to electronically file their lobbying reports with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
The bill would impose a one-time fee on lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and public agencies to pay for the electronic system of reporting the information.
Moeller testified for his legislation in a public hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee this morning (Thursday, Feb. 5). Testimony also included support from lobbyists who would bear the cost of the software development to get the updated reporting system up and running.
“In terms of accountability for lobbyists,” he said, “this proposal is you might say the final public-information brick in our Public Disclosure Commission wall.
“We need this comprehensive, searchable system of electronic reporting. This is all about transparency in the work and activities of lobbyists, as well as their employers and public agencies. The bottom line is that the measure would make it easier for citizens to follow the money trail.”
Moeller explained that the commission’s current, outdated system containing this political information “makes it difficult for the public to really know who’s giving what to whom.”
Terms of the legislation would take effect in three years. Lobbyists in 2012 whose reportable compensation was $10,000 or more the previous year, or whose reportable compensation is expected to be $10,000 in 2012, would have to file disclosure reports electronically over the Internet.
Beginning in 2012, all public agencies required to file lobbying reports would have to file the reports electronically over the Internet. Beginning in 2013, lobbyist employers whose reportable expenses and payments for lobbying amounted to $10,000 or more the previous year, or is expected to be $10,000 or more in 2013, would be called upon to file the required disclosure reports electronically over the Internet.
In August of this year, lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and public agencies would have to pay a one-time fee to the Public Disclosure Commission to fund the electronic-filing system.
Lobbyists whose lobbying income was $10,000 in 2008 or is expected to be $10,000 or more in 2009 would have to pay a fee of $250. Lobbyist employers whose accrued expenses and payments for lobbying was $10,000 in 2008, or is expected to be $10,000 or more in 2009, would have to pay a fee of $500. Agencies that have more than 50 full-time-equivalent employees would have to pay a fee of $150.
Lobbyists last year contributed about $18 million to political campaigns across the state of Washington.
Right now in the Evergreen State, there are about 700 registered lobbyists working for about 1,000 employers, and 150 public agencies. They spent $55 million for political campaigns last year.
Moeller’s bill is co-sponsored by state Rep. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, who chairs the State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee.