Registration of certain service providers

§ 109. Registration of certain service providers. 1. For purposes of
this section:

(a) "Client" shall mean a person or entity who in the preceding
calendar year retained or hired the political consultant relating to
matters before any state or local government agency, authority or
official, including services, advice or consultation relating to any
state or local government contract for real property, goods or services,
an appearance in a ratemaking proceeding, an appearance in a regulatory
matter, or an appearance in a legislative matter other than matters
described in subparagraph (E) of the second undesignated paragraph of
subdivision (c) of section one-c of the legislative law.

(b) "Political consulting services" shall mean services provided by a
political consultant to or on behalf of an elected public official in
New York state or to or on behalf of a candidate for elected office in
New York state, or to or on behalf of a person nominated for elected
public office which services: (1) assist or are intended to assist in a
campaign for nomination for election or election to office in New York
state, including fundraising activities, voter outreach, composition and
distribution of promotional literature, advertisements, or other similar
communications, as set forth in section 14-106 of the election law, or
(2) consist of political advice to an elected public official or
candidate for elected public office in New York state or person
nominated for elected public office; provided, however, that political
consulting services shall not include bona fide legal work directly
related to litigation or legal advice with regard to securing a place on
the ballot, the petitioning process, the conduct of an election, or
which involves the election law.

(c) "Political consultant" shall mean a person who holds himself or
herself out to persons in this state as a person who performs political
consulting services in a professional capacity and who is usually
compensated, excluding reimbursement for expenses, for such services.

2. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations
prescribing a registration form to be used by any political consultant
who provides political consulting services to a sitting elected public
official, candidate for elected public office or person nominated for
elected public office and who has also been retained by a client for
such services.

3. Such registration form shall identify:

(a) the name, address, and telephone number of the political
consultant;

(b) the name, address, and telephone number of each sitting elected
public official, candidate for elected public office, and person
nominated for elected public office who the political consultant
provided political consulting services to;

(c) the name, address, and telephone number of each client who retains
or hires a political consultant in the preceding calendar year provided,
that in the event the client is an entity, at least one natural person
who has a controlling interest in such entity shall be identified; and

(d) a brief description of the nature of the political consulting
services provided to each identified client.

4. Such registration shall be filed with the department of state and
shall cover a six month reporting period. The reporting period shall
mean the six month period within a calendar year starting January first
and ending June thirtieth or the six month period within a calendar year
starting July first and ending December thirty-first.

5. The secretary of state shall post the completed forms on the
department of state's website within thirty days of the close of each
reporting period.

6. The department of state may impose a civil penalty of up to seven
hundred fifty dollars upon any political consultant who fails to file a
registration required by this section provided, however, that the
secretary shall provide such political consultant a reasonable
opportunity to cure such a failure.

7. The department of state shall adopt, amend and rescind rules and
regulations defining the degree and extent of political consulting
services necessary to require the reporting pursuant to this section.