Professional lobbyists

Q1.   Who is a professional lobbyist?

A1.  A professional lobbyist is a person, business entity, including a sole proprietorship, or an employee of a client, who is compensated by a client or another professional lobbyist for lobbying.

Q2.  Do I need to register if I am a professional lobbyist?

A2.  Yes. All professional lobbyists who engage in lobbying activities for pay (or any consideration) are required to register with our office.

Q3.   When should I register as a professional lobbyist?

A3. Before you begin lobbying, you must register as a professional lobbyist.

Q4.  How do I register?

A4.  For new lobbyists:

• Request a user ID and password.
• After submitting the request, you will receive an email with your new user ID and a temporary password.
• Log in to the online Lobbyist system to complete your registration. Contact information for yourself or your lobbying firm and any client(s) that you represent is required.
• After submitting your registration and paying the registration fee, you will receive a registration ID for the current fiscal year.

Lobbyists who have registered before:

• Log in to the online lobbyist system.
• Complete the Annual Registration form.
• After submitting your registration and paying the registration fee, you will receive a registration ID for the current fiscal year.

Q5. What am I required to disclose as a professional lobbyist?

A5. The following reports and disclosures are required:

• 72-hour new bill/change of position disclosure
• Monthly disclosure report
• Annual cumulative disclosure report
• Disclosure of new clients
• State liaison monthly disclosure report

Q6.  How often do I need to register?

A6.  If you are engaging in lobbyist activity at any time during a fiscal year, you will need to register for that year.  Your registration covers the period from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Q7. What is the registration fee?

A7.  All lobbyist fees can be found on our fee schedule.

Q8.  What is my Initial Reporting Month?

A8.  The initial reporting month is the month that lobbying activity began for the fiscal year.

Q9.  Does a professional lobbyist have to wear a badge?

A9.  Wearing a badge is not required, but it is encouraged.  Wearing a badge makes it easy for others to identify you as a registered lobbyist when you are visiting or working at the capitol.

If you choose to wear a badge, it must be a blue name tag with white lettering that is one inch high by three inches long (1"x3").  More information about badges.

Q10.  How do I search for previous registrations?

A10.  On the disclosure report page, click on "View reports from other years.”

Q11.  When should I file a termination report?

A11.  If you stop lobbying and want to terminate your lobbyist registration before it automatically expires on June 30, you can file a termination report along with your final annual report (cumulative disclosure statement).

Q12.  How do I file a termination report?

A12. To file a termination report:

• Log in to the Lobbyist online system.
• Under the Lobbyist Filing Center, click on "Disclosure Reporting".
• Under Reporting Month, click on the month in which you are terminating.
• Report any items that should be disclosed for that month.
• Mark the box next to "Check if this is a termination report."
• When you have finished, click on "File Report".
• Inactivate any or all client(s) that you will no longer be lobbying on behalf of.
• File the Cumulative Disclosure Statement     What is this?

Q13.  I forgot my password.  What do I do?

A13.  To reset your password, go to the login screen and click on " Forgot Password". Enter your User ID and email address. A temporary password will be emailed to you. Don't forget to change your password after you use the temporary one to log in.

Q14.  I tried to log in, but an error message says that I have an "Invalid User ID / Password".  What should I do?

A14.  Make sure that you are entering your username and password correctly. Check to be sure that your Caps Lock key is not on.

If you believe that you have forgotten your password, you can  reset it from the login screen.

If you can't remember your user ID, call us at 303-894-2200, ext. 6304.