NewsOK: Lobbyist Spending Nearly Doubles Under New Rules
Lobbyist spending in Oklahoma increases after ethics rule change
By Rick M. Green Capitol Bureau
Lobbyists spent nearly $326,000 on state officials in the first six months of this year, nearly double the amount spent in the same period last year, according to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.
A new ethics rule this year increased by 400 percent the amount a lobbyist can spend on legislators and state officials.
Previous ethics rules limited to $100 the amount a lobbyist could spend on a lawmaker, but that amount could be multiplied by the number of clients the lobbyist represented.
Under rules that went into effect Jan. 1, lobbyists can spend a maximum of $500 on a particular lawmaker, no matter how many clients they represent.