As noted in our prior updates, on June 2, 2024, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law H.B. 1, which prohibits foreign nationals from making or being solicited for political contributions in connection with Ohio state and...more
As noted in our prior update, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed H.B. 1 into law on June 2, 2024. H.B. 1 enacted a ban on foreign nationals making or being solicited for political contributions, defining foreign nationals to...more
Ohio Adopts Sweeping Foreign National Ban, Covering Lawful Permanent Residents -
On June 2, 2024, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law H.B. 1, enacting a sweeping foreign national ban on political contributions and...more
6/21/2024
/ Campaign Finance Reform ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Governor DeWine ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
North Carolina ,
PACs ,
Political Contributions ,
State and Local Government ,
State Bans ,
State Legislatures
On April 15, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) censured and imposed a $60,000 civil penalty on Wayzata Investment Partners LLC (Wayzata) for violating SEC Rule 206(4)-5 (the Pay-to-Play Rule). Under the...more
4/29/2024
/ Campaign Contributions ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Compensation ,
Fund Managers ,
Government Entities ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
New Rules ,
PACs ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Campaigns ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations ,
State and Local Government
As interest rates have risen, more PACs are triggering federal income tax requirements stemming from interest they receive. Political organizations, including PACs, with more than $100 in taxable interest or investment income...more
The following summarizes periodic pay-to-play reporting requirements under laws in Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Rhode Island. Certain companies must file reports regarding their business...more
The 2024 presidential nominating conventions are only a few months away and both host cities — Milwaukee, where Republicans will gather in July, and Chicago, which welcomes Democrats in August — are hoping for returns to...more
Takeaways -
Activist shareholders are increasing the pressure on companies to disclose their political spending and their lobbying and trade association activity.
In 2021, a record 40% of shareholders’ proposals...more
The following summarizes the periodic reporting requirements under Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Rhode Island laws for certain corporate entities to file reports regarding their business...more
On February 2, 2021, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced new federal campaign contribution limits in accordance with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which requires the FEC to adjust certain federal...more
In light of the events at the Capitol on January 6, many companies have been reevaluating their political giving and the use of political action committees. The nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics has been tracking the...more
In an attempt to further curb foreign influence in U.S. elections, there is a recent trend among states and localities to propose legislation restricting political spending by corporations with foreign owners. Existing...more
5/6/2020
/ Corporate Contributions ,
Foreign Corporations ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Subsidiaries ,
Local Ordinance ,
PACs ,
Political Contributions ,
Presidential Elections ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Bans ,
State Legislatures
As federal, state and local governments grapple with the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of jurisdictions have modified certain ethics, lobbying and campaign finance requirements in response to the crisis. Below, we describe...more
3/27/2020
/ Amended Rules ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Donations ,
Electronic Filing ,
Ethics ,
Executive Orders ,
Exemptions ,
Federal Election Commission (FEC) ,
Gifts ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Late Fees ,
Lobbying ,
PACs ,
Political Contributions ,
Public Officials ,
Relief Measures ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State of Emergency
The following describes periodic pay-to-play reporting requirements under Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island laws. Certain corporate entities must file reports regarding their business relationships...more
2/12/2020
/ Affiliates ,
Campaign Finance Reform ,
Corporate Entities ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Filing Requirements ,
PACs ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Contributions ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements
Now that the calendar has flipped to 2020, planning and fundraising efforts are intensifying in advance of this summer’s national party conventions. ...more
On February 7, 2019, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced new federal campaign contribution limits. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 requires the FEC to adjust certain federal contribution limits every...more
The following describes the periodic reporting requirements under five state laws for certain corporate entities to file reports regarding their business relationships with these states, as well as their political...more
2/11/2019
/ CEOs ,
Corporate Entities ,
Directors ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Filing Deadlines ,
PACs ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Contributions ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Contractors
On January 14, 2019, the New York state legislature passed A. 776 (the bill), which is designed to close the “LLC loophole” in state campaign contribution laws that treats LLCs as individuals, rather than corporations. New...more
On Election Day in 2018, voters in three states approved amendments to rules involving a variety of ethics reforms involving lobbying, contributions and gifts....more
12/21/2018
/ Amended Legislation ,
Ballot Measures ,
Campaign Finance Reform ,
Charter Amendments ,
City Councils ,
Constitutional Amendment ,
Contribution Limits ,
Cooling-Off Rule ,
Ethics ,
General Assembly ,
Gifts ,
Lobbying ,
Local Ordinance ,
PACs ,
Political Contributions ,
Public Officials ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
Now that the 2018 midterm elections are over, we must contend with legal issues that arise from activities related to federal, state and local inaugural and transition committees, as well as recounts and runoff elections. As...more
11/14/2018
/ 501(c)(3) ,
501(c)(4) ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Campaign Finance Reform ,
CFTC ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Consultants ,
Corporate Executives ,
Corporate Gifts ,
General Elections ,
Inauguration Committees ,
Lobbying ,
MSRB ,
Municipalities ,
PACs ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Contributions ,
Political Parties ,
Recount Committees ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Special Election ,
State and Local Government ,
State Elections ,
State Procurement Contracts ,
Transition Team
Below, please find a discussion of recent developments in New Hampshire
and New York.
New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General recently has indicated that, going forward, it will interpret state...more
10/31/2018
/ Campaign Finance Reform ,
Corporate Contributions ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Lobbying ,
Lobbyists ,
New Legislation ,
PACs ,
Political Contributions ,
Popular ,
Public Employee Retirement Funds ,
Registration Requirement ,
Solicitation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General
This mailing summarizes Missouri's new requirements for certain federal PACs and Maine's new requirement that lobbyists attend in-person anti-harassment training....more
Now that the 2016 elections are over, we must contend with special legal issues that arise from contributions made to, and expenses incurred for, federal, state or local inaugural or transition committees, as well as recounts...more
11/14/2016
/ CFTC ,
Corporate Executives ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Institutions ,
Inauguration Committees ,
Lobbying ,
MSRB ,
PACs ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Political Contributions ,
Public Employees ,
Recount Committees ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Special Election ,
State and Local Government
On Wednesday, August 24, 2016, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law an ethics package (the Bill) including campaign finance, lobbying and disclosure amendments. Below, we briefly summarize key provisions that (i) expand...more
On December 16, 2015, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed 2015 Wisconsin Act 117, which became effective January 1, 2016 (the Act). Among other changes, the Act eases the registration requirements for federal political action...more