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HB 5875

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND LOBBYING REFORM ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chippendale and 8 co-sponsors

Expands Rhode Island's lobbying reform to cover municipal governments and local fire districts, establishing registration, reporting, and clearer rules to boost transparency.

03/13/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5875

Summary: HB 5875 – Rhode Island Lobbying Reform Act

Overview

HB 5875 proposes to expand Rhode Island’s lobbying reform framework beyond state government to include municipal governments, their executives and legislative bodies, and local fire districts. The act reorganizes and clarifies definitions related to lobbying activities, who must register, and what constitutes compensation and lobbying conduct. The bill is currently in committee, with a status of “Committee recommended measure be held for further study” as of March 13, 2025. It was introduced in early 2025 and is scheduled for committee consideration.

Purpose and Intent

  • Broaden the reach of the Rhode Island Lobbying Reform Act to cover local government entities, including municipalities and local fire districts.
  • Establish clear definitions to standardize who must register as a lobbyist, what counts as compensation, and what constitutes lobbying activity.
  • Create a framework for accountability and transparency for individuals and entities seeking to influence public decision-making at the local level.

Key Provisions and Changes

Definitions (Section 42-139.1-3, as amended)

  • Appointed/Engaged: Means receiving compensation for lobbying.
  • Compensation: Any form of remuneration for lobbying services, excluding incidental expense reimbursements.
  • Lobbying: Direct actions or soliciting others to influence any action or inaction by state/municipal executives or legislators, local fire districts, or public corporations.
  • Lobbying Firm: A business entity that receives compensation for lobbying.
  • Lobbyist: Includes contract lobbyists, in-house lobbyists, and governmental lobbyists.
  • Money/Anything of Value: Broadly defined to include fees, gifts, loans, etc., but excludes campaign contributions.
  • Public Corporation: A legally distinct public entity with certain powers but separate from the state.
  • Secretary: Rhode Island Secretary of State.

Exclusions (Not Considered Lobbyists)

A broad list of professionals and activities not treated as lobbying, including:
- Licensed attorneys in specific proceedings (with incidental communications excluded from lobbying).
- Qualified expert witnesses.
- Members of the General Assembly and high-level state officials acting in official capacity.
- Governmental advisory committee or task force participants.
- Employees or agents whose regular duties do not include lobbying.
- News media personnel and activities (with some limits on how they engage with policy issues).
- Individuals participating in public rallies or disseminating broadly accessible public policy information.
- Any person responding to information requests by state agencies or public bodies.

Effective Date

  • The act would take effect upon passage.

Who Is Affected

  • Lobbyists and lobbying firms engaged with municipal governments, municipal executives, municipal legislatures, and local fire districts.
  • Individuals and organizations that employ or contract with lobbyists to influence local policy decisions.
  • Municipal governments and local public bodies that would be subject to lobbying registration and reporting requirements (as expanded by the act).

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: February 28, 2025 (with initial references in January 2025 materials).
  • Referred to: House State Government & Elections Committee.
  • Committee Action: As of March 13, 2025, “held for further study” (no final enactment date set).
  • Previous actions show scheduled hearings around early March 2025.

Potential Impacts

  • Increased transparency and accountability for local-level lobbying activities.
  • Expanded compliance burden on local lobbyists and organizations engaging with municipal and fire district governance.
  • Clarified distinctions between lobbyists and exempt categories to reduce ambiguities in enforcement.

Next Steps

  • Monitor for committee action and any amendments clarifying registration thresholds, reporting requirements, and enforcement mechanisms.
  • Determine specific local government bodies affected (e.g., city/t town councils, school committees, local fire districts) and any differing rules by entity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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