HB0146 • 2023

Lobbying restrictions.

AN ACT relating to the legislature; prohibiting state legislators from lobbying for two years after leaving office; providing penalties; increasing existing fines for failing to register as a lobbyist; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor: Representative Smith
Last action: 2023-02-07
Official status: inactive
Effective date: 3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status as inactive means it did not move forward in its current session and is unlikely to become law without further action.

Lobbying Restrictions for Former Legislators

The bill stops state legislators from lobbying for two years after they leave office and increases the fines for not registering as a lobbyist.

What This Bill Does

It makes it illegal for former state legislators to lobby for two years after leaving their job.
It raises the fine for people who do not register as lobbyists when they should.

Who It Names or Affects

State legislators who leave office and want to become lobbyists.
People or groups who do not follow the rules about registering as a lobbyist.

Terms To Know

lobbyist: A person who tries to influence decisions made by government officials, often for money or other benefits.
penalty: A punishment given when someone breaks a rule or law.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if former legislators try to lobby in ways that do not require registration.
It is unclear how this bill will be enforced and who will check if people are following the rules.
This bill was marked as inactive, meaning it did not move forward in its current session.

Bill History

2023-02-07 House
H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4
2023-02-07 House
H No report prior to CoW Cutoff
2023-01-20 House
H Introduced and Referred to H03 - Revenue
2023-01-17 House
H Received for Introduction
2023-01-16 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0628
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0628
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0146

Lobbying restrictions.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Smith, Allemand, Bear, Haroldson, Jennings, Locke, Pendergraft, Penn, Slagle, Strock and Ward and Senator(s) Hutchings, Ide and Steinmetz

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the legislature; prohibiting state legislators from lobbying for two years after leaving office; providing penalties; increasing existing fines for failing to register as a lobbyist; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 28
‑
7
‑
101 by creating a new subsection (d) and 28
‑
7
‑
102(a) are amended to read:

28
‑
7
‑
101.

Registration; reports.

(d)

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a former state legislator shall not become a lobbyist or engage in lobbying that would require registration under subsection (b) of this section for two (2) years, beginning on the day the state legislator's terms ends after not being again elected to the state legislator's office or having otherwise been removed from office and ending on the two (2) year anniversary of that day. This subsection shall not apply if the former state legislator engages in lobbying on the former state legislator's own behalf.

28
‑
7
‑
102.

Penalties.

(a)

Any person or individual failing to register as a lobbyist with the secretary of state
or who violates W.S. 28
‑
7
‑
101(d)
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor subject to a fine of not more than
two hundred dollars ($200.00)
five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
.

Section 2.

This act shall apply to any state legislator who leaves or is otherwise removed from office on or after the effective date of this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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HB0146