New Ethics Rules Change Gift Limits
Rule change will allow lobbyists to spend more on Oklahoma lawmakers
by Rick Green, NewsOK.com
Oklahoma Ethics Commission rules that go into effect next year increase by 400 percent how much a lobbyist can spend on meals and gifts for a state legislator.
Current rules limit to $100 the amount a lobbyist can spend on a lawmaker, but that amount can be multiplied by the number of clients the lobbyist represents. Under the new rules, lobbyists will be limited to spending $500 on a particular lawmaker, no matter how many clients they represent, said Lee Slater, the commission’s executive director.
The net effect will be that some lobbyists, particularly those with fewer clients, could see an increase in the amount of money they can spend per legislator, and some, particularly those with numerous clients, could see a decrease.
Attorney Denise Davick, who advises clients on ethics rules, said the change is a pragmatic approach that acknowledges increases in things such as the expense of a restaurant meal and helps level the playing field between lobbyists with many clients and those with few.
“It’s definitely a good move on the part of the Ethics Commission,” she said.