'Lobbyist' Registration Bill
AB 2002 (STONE; D-Santa Cruz) essentially requires anyone representing more than one client per year who earns $2,000.00 in a calendar month to communicate with Coastal Commissioners to conform to lobbyist registration requirements of the Political Reform Act. This bill is unnecessary and duplicative of strict lobbying disclosure and communication requirements in the Coastal Act that already impose severe penalties for noncompliance. The bill would create a unique rule for the Coastal Commission and conflict with Political Reform Act requirements for all other state agencies.
The bill would discourage applicants for coastal development permits from hiring representation, require even single family homeowners who hire Coastal consultants to register as “lobbyist employers,” and create burdensome paperwork for applicants and their technical consultants.
We believe the public should be encouraged to communicate directly with public agency representatives, provided this communication is properly disclosed. There is no reason to change the current practice. To limit the free exchange of information by imposing burdensome and costly requirements of SB 802 would serve only to make this regulatory agency even more inaccessible to the average Californian and we strongly oppose the bill.
The bill would discourage applicants for coastal development permits from hiring representation, require even single family homeowners who hire Coastal consultants to register as “lobbyist employers,” and create burdensome paperwork for applicants and their technical consultants.
We believe the public should be encouraged to communicate directly with public agency representatives, provided this communication is properly disclosed. There is no reason to change the current practice. To limit the free exchange of information by imposing burdensome and costly requirements of SB 802 would serve only to make this regulatory agency even more inaccessible to the average Californian and we strongly oppose the bill.