PROVIDENCE, RI –Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is reminding lobbyists and their clients and employers that Jan. 15 is the deadline for filing two important reports.
Everyone who is paid to lobby state government must register with the secretary of state’s office. State law requires lobbyists and their firms and clients to file 2010 Annual Reports and December monthly reports with Mollis by this Saturday.
Mollis posts information about who is lobbying as well as their issues, employers, compensation and clients on his website at sos.ri.gov.
“Making government more open and accessible is my priority. We literally put thousands of reports covering hundreds of lobbyists, lobbying firms and corporations at the public's fingertips,” said Mollis.
The 2010 Annual Report details salary, fees, commissions, gifts or anything else of value given to top state officials last year if they totaled more than $250.
Those so-called "major state decision-makers" include judges, legislators and the top staff of state agencies and quasi-public corporations as well as the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer and Attorney General.
The December 2010 monthly report details lobbying expenses including campaign contributions.
Last year there were 376 legislative lobbyists and 199 lobbyists who targeted the executive branch or quasi-public corporations. In addition, 77 employees of governmental entities such as cities and state agencies registered as lobbyists.
The five most heavily lobbied issues were taxation, health care, state affairs and government, public policy and insurance. In 2009, the most popular topics were health care, taxation, state affairs and government, insurance and business.
Last year, the least lobbied issues were crime, maritime affairs, water resources, courts and, lastly, food. In 2009, the least popular subjects were agriculture, food, crime, fish and wildlife and, lastly, courts.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier to vote, helping business grow and making government more open and accessible. For more information about lobbying reporting, visit www.sos.ri.gov.