The Ethics Review Commission last week voted unanimously to recommend changes to the city’s lobbying rules. The rules ensure phone calls and video conferences are properly recorded as appearances before a city official. The changes to City Code Chapter 4-8 concerning the regulation of lobbyists first came before the commission at its regular meeting in […]
lobbying
Lobbying, in short, occurs when someone attempts to influence the decisions of government officials.
Posted inCity Hall
Changes to city lobbying rules OK’d by Ethics Review Commission
The Ethics Review Commission has given its OK to a series of amendments to the city’s lobbying regulations. The changes are set to be voted on by City Council on March 23. The city clerk’s office suggested them to clarify requirements and processes regarding lobbyists’ registration and renewal fees and quarterly activity reports, as well […]
Posted inCity Council
Lobby ordinance needs revision to cover virtual meetings
City auditors have found that, while the city’s registered lobbyists are largely complying with city regulations, there is one significant gap in the reporting requirements. Although lobbyists are required to report their in-person meetings, no such requirement exists for virtual meetings, according to a report discussed at last week’s City Council Audit & Finance Committee […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Upscale dogs, other complaints
You’re never too old to throw shade… Last Monday, the Austin Independent School District’s workshop meeting was full of lively discussion, including more pondering of academic programming and how to correctly catalog it for parents and district members. Often, special programs like AISD’s Liberal Arts and Science Magnet school or McCallum High School’s Fine Arts […]
Posted inCity Hall
Lawyer tries to heat up lobby reform fight
Although he declared victory on Monday after a City Council committee approved the lobby registration resolution he was instrumental in writing, on Tuesday attorney Fred Lewis accused land-use professionals of misinterpreting the resolution. On Monday, Lewis sent out an email stating that “Lobby reform at Austin City Hall took a giant step forward today! The […]
Posted inCity Hall
Lobby reform rules move forward
On Monday, members of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee unanimously approved a revised version of Council Member Leslie Pool’s resolution proposing changes to the city’s lobby registration ordinance. In contrast to previous public discussions of the topic, Monday’s conversation showed that Pool and a group of land-use professionals led by architect Stuart Sampley had […]
Posted inCity Hall
Ethics Commission recommends controversial lobbying ordinance
To the delight of city ethics reformers and over the strong objections of developers and real estate professionals, the Ethics Review Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend to City Council a resolution aimed at overhauling city lobbying rules. The recommended language was the result of months of back-and-forth among Council Member Leslie Pool, the measure’s […]
Posted inCity Hall
No agreement yet on lobby registration rules
City Council Member Leslie Pool has released an updated proposal for fundamental changes to Austin’s lobby registration laws, and while the new version includes an idea proposed by a group of land-use professionals who objected to the previous version, the changes did not eliminate many of their objections. The new version includes an exception for […]
Posted inThe Code
Land-use pros respond to lobby proposal
If City Council eventually approves an ordinance based on Council Member Leslie Pool’s resolution to revise the city’s lobby registration laws, the result could be a Planning Commission with no architects, engineers or other land-use professionals, according to a group of those professionals representing 11 different organizations. A separate city ordinance prohibits any registered lobbyist […]
Posted inThe Code
Lobby registration arguments continue
An attorney working on revisions to the city’s lobby registration ordinance has accused opponents of the change of refusing to negotiate in order to prevent the process from moving forward. Fred Lewis, the major architect of the proposed changes, told the City Council Audit and Finance Committee on Wednesday that opponents to the revisions – […]
Posted inThe Code
Building professionals distraught over proposed city lobbying changes
Area engineers and others in the building industry showed up to a Monday meeting of the Ethics Review Commission to voice concerns over a proposal that would likely require many of them to register as lobbyists because of their regular interactions with city officials. A final draft of the changes is still a ways off, […]