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Session of 2025
HOUSE BILL No. 2205
By Committee on Elections
Requested by Representative Waggoner
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AN ACT concerning governmental ethics; prohibiting lobbying for or by
foreign adversaries; authorizing civil lawsuits by the attorney general;
providing for civil penalties for violations thereof.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) No person shall engage in lobbying, receive or agree to
receive any direct or indirect compensation or other payment in any form,
including intangible or in-kind services, for carrying out any lobbying
activity on behalf of another person that is a:
(1) Foreign adversary;
(2) foreign political party of a foreign adversary; or
(3) foreign adversary client.
(b) "Foreign adversary" means:
(1) The People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the
Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the
Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro or the Syrian
Arab Republic;
(2) any agency or instrumentality of such governments;
(3) any person owned or operated, in whole or in part, by such
foreign adversary, or subject to the control of such foreign adversary, and
any subsidiary or parent of any such person; or
(4) any person organized under the laws of a foreign adversary or
having its principal place of business in a foreign adversary country.
(c) "Foreign political party" any organization or any other
combination of individuals in a country other than the United States, or
any unit or branch thereof, having for an aim or purpose, or that is engaged
in any activity devoted in whole or in part to, the establishment,
administration, control or acquisition of administration or control, of a
government of a foreign country or a subdivision thereof, or the
furtherance or influencing of the political or public interests, policies or
relations of a government of a foreign country or a subdivision thereof.
(d) "Foreign adversary client" means:
(1) A current or former official of a foreign political party of a foreign
adversary;
(2) an executive or officer of a foreign adversary;
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(3) an immediate family member of any such person, including such
person's spouse, parents, siblings, children and spouse's parents and
siblings;
(4) an official in the executive, legislative, administrative, military or
judicial branch of a foreign adversary, whether elected or not; or
(5) a corporation, business or other entity that has been formed by or
for the benefit of any such person.
Sec. 2. (a) The attorney general shall bring a civil action against any
person violating section 1, and amendments thereto. A civil penalty may be
imposed in an amount of not to exceed $25,000 for the first violation, not
to exceed $100,000 for the second violation and not to exceed $150,000
for the third and each subsequent violation. All fines assessed and
collected under this section shall be remitted to the state treasurer in
accordance with K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt
of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount
in the state treasury to the credit of the state general fund.
(b) The attorney general shall collect attorney fees and costs from the
person violating this act.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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