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Professional lobbyists
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Professional Lobbyists

Q1.  What is a professional lobbyist?

A1.  A professional lobbyist:

1. Is an individual or firm that is organized for lobbying purposes,
2. Engages in lobbying activities on behalf of themselves, their principal, or any other person or organization, and
3. Receives pay or some form of compensation for lobbying.

 

Q2.  Do I need to register?

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

 

Q3.  How do I register?

A3.  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 principal(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.

 

Q4.  How often do I need to register?

A4.  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.

 

Q5. What is the registration fee?

 A5.  All lobbyist fees can be found on our Fee Schedule.

 

Q6. What is considered a lobbying activity?

A6.  Communicating with a covered official directly, or soliciting others to communicate with a covered official for the purpose of aiding in or influencing legislation, rules, appointment, or nominations.

 

Q7. What is not considered a lobbying activity?

A7. The following are not considered lobbying activities:

• Communications made by a person in response to a statute, rule regulation, or order requiring such communication.
• Communications by a person who appears before a committee of the general assembly or rule-making board as result of a mandatory order or subpoena commanding that person to testify.
• Appearances to give testimony or provide information to committees of the general assembly or at public hearings at state agencies or provide information at the request public officials or employees.
• Communications made by an attorney-at-law when communications are made on behalf of the client whose name has been identified.
• Communications that constitute the practice of law and are subject to control by the judicial branch of the state of Colorado.
• Duties performed by employees of the legislative branch.

 

Q8.  Does a professional lobbyist have to wear a badge?

A8.  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.

 

Q9.  What is my Initial Reporting Month?

A9.  The initial reporting month is the month that lobbying activity began for the fiscal year.

 

Q10. What disclosure statements do I have to file?

A10.  You have to file financial disclosure statements every month.

You will also file a cumulative disclosure statement (covering the entire fiscal year) at the end of each fiscal year.

Need help? Schedule a consultation.

 

Q11. What information is required on the monthly disclosure statement?

A11.  Required disclosure information includes:

• Gross income for lobbying activities
• Expenses
• Subjects and bills and position taken, if any
• Subcontracting income, if any
• Statements detailing any direct business associations, if any  

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Q12. What information is required on the cumulative disclosure statement?

A12.  Required cumulative disclosure information includes:

• Gross income for lobbying activities for the fiscal year.
• Subcontracting income for the fiscal year.

 

Q13.  When can I file the cumulative disclosure statement?

A13.  The cumulative disclosure statement is due on or before July 15th of each fiscal year. 

If you terminate your registration at any time during the fiscal year, you must file a cumulative disclosure statement for the part of the year that you were registered.  This disclosure is also due on or before July 15th, but we recommend that you file it when you terminate rather than wait until the end of the fiscal year.

 

Q14.  What is a "direct business association"?

A14.  "Direct business association" means that a lobbyist has the most to gain financially from a particular piece of legislation, more than anyone else in their profession or industry.  The lobbyist must disclose that business interest.

 

Q15.  How do I disclose lobbying activities that do not have a bill number?

A15.  In the Subjects and Bills section of the report, choose "Other" and enter a description of the activity.

 

Q16.  Does a principal have any reporting obligations?

A16.  No.  The registered lobbyist or lobbying firm is responsible for all reporting requirements.

 

Q17.  How do I search for previous registrations?

A17.  On the disclosure report page, click on "View reports from other years".

 

Q18.  When should I file a termination report?

A18.  A termination report can be filed when you have ended your employment or contract with a principal, or your lobbying activities have ended before the fiscal year.

 

Q19.  How do I file a termination report?

A19. 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".

Q20.  I forgot my password.  What do I do?

A20.  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.

 

Q21.  I tried to log in, but an error message says that I have an "Invalid User ID / Password".  What should I do?

A21.  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.

 

Q22.  When should I register as a lobbyist ?

A22.  Most commonly, if you are communicating with a covered official to influence legislation, you are required to register as a lobbyist. For more information about when to register see, [1]  [2]

 

Q23.  How do I report income if I have a job outside of lobbying?

A23. Determine what percentage of your monthly gross income is for lobbying. You will report this amount.

For example, if you spent 20% of your time on lobbying in June, you would report 20% of your monthly gross income for June.

If you report your lobbying activities by hour, just determine what your hourly rate is and multiply it by the number of hours spent on lobbying activities. [3]

 

Q24.  I’m a sole proprietor. How do I report income on my individual and firm report?

A24. You would report the income based on the name on the check. For example, if a check was written to the firm, then it needs to be reported in the firm’s disclosure report. [4]

 

Q25.  What is considered an expense?

A25. Any cost associated with lobbying activities, including registration fees.

Expenses are broken up into three categories on your monthly disclosure statement:

1. Media,
2. Gifts and entertainment, and
3. Other. Examples include travel, parking, and cellphone usage.

 

Q26.  How do I report expenses related to lobbying activities?

A26. Expenses are reported on your monthly disclosure statements.  Select the type of expense- media, gift and entertainment, or other. Expenses such as travel, parking, and cellphone usage are examples of “Other Expenses.”

 

Q27.  How do I report lobbying activity not related to any bill or legislation?

A27. On your monthly disclosure statement, under Subjects and Bills, select “Other” as the bill or resolution prefix, and then enter the activity in the “Subject of legislation” field.

 

 

[1]  24-6-301 (3.5)(a), C.R.S.
[2]  24-6-301 (1.7)(b), C.R.S.
[3]  24-6-301 (2.5), C.R.S.
[4]  24-6-302 (2.5) (a), C.R.S.

 

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