Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Forms and Instructions for LD-203 Released

BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports that forms and instructions for the new lobbying disclosure form, LD-203, have been released. Lobbyists and their organizations, as mandated under the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, will have to detail the amount of campaign contributions and other payments linked to lawmakers. The new disclosure form will have to be filed twice a year, first filing deadline is July 30, 2008.

The forms that lobbyists and lobbying organizations must fill out have menus calling for reporting of four types of contributions or payments:

• campaign contributions regulated by the Federal Election Commission, including contributions by a political action committee controlled by the lobbyist or organization;
• "honorary" expenses linked to lawmakers;
• expenses for meetings involving lawmakers; and
• donations to presidential libraries.

The form calls for reporting on honorary expenses, which Kenneth Gross of the firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom warned in the BNA article that "using the words 'honorary expense,' the form may not make it clear that payment to an event where a member of Congress merely speaks or is recognized but is not honored must be reported."

Information is available from the Senate here or from the House here.