States Lead Lobbying Reform (congress was all huff and no puff)

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Subject: Public Integrity Weekly Update - States Lead Lobbying Reform
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2006 18:11:34 -0500 (EST)
From: Center for Public Integrity <weeklyupdate@publicintegrity.org>
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Public Integrity Weekly Update

www.publicintegrity.org March 1, 2006


States Outpace Congress in Upgrading Lobbying Laws

As Congress struggles to maintain public trust in the midst of the lobbying scandal raging in Washington D.C., members could look to the states for ways to revamp the federal system. The Center for Public Integrity survey that evaluated the strength of lobbying disclosure laws nationwide found the federal law to be weaker than those of 47 of the 50 states. Since the original 2003 "Hired Guns" report, lawmakers in almost half the states — sometimes prompted by scandals — have beefed up their disclosure laws, but federal legislators haven't. "The federal law is pretty terrible," said Robert M. Stern, president of the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies, who helped write California's 1974 political reform law.
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State Lobby Law Changes Since 2003 In Brief

The Center for Public Integrity surveyed the 50 states to evaluate changes to lobbying laws since its nationwide study released May 2003. At least 24 states have taken steps either to strengthen their laws or electronic disclosure systems since the Center’s study.
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