S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  7339

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 31, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. BENJAMIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Election Law

AN  ACT to amend the election law, in relation to limiting contributions
  by certain contributors; and to amend the legislative law, in relation
  to requiring lobbyists who work as political consultants  to  disclose
  the name and contact information of those who employ them as political
  consultants

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 14-116 of the election law is amended by  adding  a
new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
  3.  NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISIONS ONE AND TWO OF THIS
SECTION, ANY CORPORATION, JOINT-STOCK ASSOCIATION,  OR  AN  ORGANIZATION
FINANCIALLY  SUPPORTED  IN  WHOLE OR IN PART, BY SUCH CORPORATION, WHICH
EMPLOYS A LOBBYING FIRM FOR ANY PURPOSE, MAY MAKE EXPENDITURES INCLUDING
CONTRIBUTIONS, NOT OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW, TO  A  CANDIDATE  FOR  A
POLITICAL OFFICE OR TO A POLITICAL PARTY, COMMITTEE OR ORGANIZATION ALSO
EMPLOYING  THE  SAME LOBBYING FIRM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOU-
SAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN AGGREGATE, NOT IN ADDITION  TO  THE  AMOUNT
ALLOWED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR.
  S  2. Subdivision (c) of section 1-e of the legislative law is amended
by adding a new paragraph 8 to read as follows:
  (8) IF THE LOBBYIST IS OR HAS BEEN RETAINED, EMPLOYED OR DESIGNATED BY
ONE OR MORE CLIENTS AS A POLITICAL CONSULTANT,  WITHIN  THE  TWENTY-FOUR
MONTHS  PRECEDING  THE  FILING  OF SUCH STATEMENT, THE NAME, ADDRESS AND
TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE CLIENT BY WHOM OR ON WHOSE BEHALF THE  POLITICAL
CONSULTANT  IS  RETAINED,  EMPLOYED OR DESIGNATED.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
PARAGRAPH THE TERM "POLITICAL CONSULTANT" SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON  RECEIV-
ING  COMPENSATION  FOR PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO: ADVISING CLIENTS ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES,  POLITICAL  ADVER-
TISING, CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES, CAMPAIGN PUBLICITY OR CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD10590-02-9