Seeing Double?

The OLIG, in conjunction with the lobbying community, strives to provide legislators, lobbyists and the public with the most up-to-date and accurate information possible via Activity & Expenditure Reports.  One common reporting error occurs when a lobbyist and their employer report the total cost of an expenditure on both the Agent and Employer Activity & Expenditure Reports.   This leads to double and sometimes even triple reporting of an expenditure!

Example:  Bledsoe’s Books, the employer of a lobbyist, hosts an all-invited event for Members of the General Assembly.  The total cost of the meals & beverages provided at the all-invited event was $1,450.  Bledsoe’s Books should report the $1,450 all-invited event on the Employer of a Legislative Agent Activity & Expenditure Report.  As the total expenditure has already been disclosed on the Employer Report, Leo Lobbyist, the legislative agent for Bledsoe’s Books, is not required to, and should not, report the expenditure on his Agent Activity & Expenditure Report.

•  Had Leo Lobbyist also reported the expenditure, a $2,900 all-invited expenditure would now be attributable to Bledsoe’s Books on public reports, instead of the $1,450 actually spent.

In the event an employer and its lobbyist(s) both disclose the same expenditure, one of the parties should amend their filing to remove the duplicate.  If you have questions about how an event, gift or meal/beverage should be reported, or need assistance with amending a filed report, please contact our office at 614-728-5100.