Reporting of expenditures made on behalf of public servants — Subject areas
Arkansas Code § 7-6-217; Arkansas Code § 7-6-218
(a) Lobbyist activity reports shall contain an itemized listing of each of the following items:
(1) Each gift worth more than one hundred dollars ($100) given to a public servant or on behalf of the public servant, including:
- (A) The date the gift was given;
- (B) The greater of the cost or fair market value of the gift;
- (C) The name of the public servant to whom the gift was given;
- (D) A description of the gift;
- (E) The amount paid by the lobbyist towards the total expenditure; and
- (F) The name of the lobbyist’s employer or client making the expenditure and, if applicable, the names of all other lobbyists sharing in the cost of the payment;
(2)
- (A) Each payment for food, including beverages, lodging, or travel costing in excess of forty dollars ($40.00) per day provided to a public servant, including the:
(i) Date of the expenditure;
- (ii)
- (a) (a) Exact amount paid by the lobbyist towards the total expenditure.
(b) (b) In calculating the amount paid for a meal, sales tax related to the meal should be included but it is not necessary to include the tip related to the meal;
(iii) Name of the public servant benefited;
(iv) Description of the item;
- (v) Name of the conference, seminar, or event;
- (vi) Purpose of the lodging or travel;
- (vii) Name of the entity receiving the payment and in the case of lodging, the name of the hotel, motel, or other place of accommodation;
- (viii) Greater of the actual cost paid by the lobbyist or the fair market value of the lodging or travel; and
- (ix) Name of the lobbyist’s employer or client making the expenditure and, if applicable, the names of all other lobbyists sharing in the cost of the payment. Example 1: If a lobbyist takes a public servant and his or her spouse to dinner and spends more than forty dollars ($40.00) on the public servant or more than eighty dollars ($80.00) on the public servant and his or her spouse, the lobbyist shall itemize the expenditure. Example 2: If three (3) lobbyists provide a meal to a public servant costing seventy-five dollars ($75.00) and split the bill for the meal evenly, the forty dollar ($40.00) itemization would be met and each lobbyist would report an expenditure of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) as well as the names of the other lobbyists sharing the cost of the meal. Example 3: If four (4) lobbyists provide two (2) public servants with lodging or travel costing one hundred fifty-two dollars ($152) and split the bill evenly, the itemization threshold would be met and each lobbyist would report an expenditure of thirty-eight dollars ($38.00) as well as the names of the other lobbyists sharing the expense; and
(3)
- (A) Any other item paid or given to a public servant or on behalf of a public servant, except campaign contributions, having a value in excess of forty dollars ($40.00) each unless consideration of equal or greater value has been given therefor.
(B) The information reported shall include:
- (i) The date the item was given;
- (ii) The name of the public servant benefited;
- (iii) The greater of the cost or fair market value of the item;
- (iv) The exact amount paid by the lobbyist towards the total expenditure;
- (v) The name of the lobbyist’s employer or client making the expenditure and, if applicable, the names of all other lobbyists sharing in the cost of the payment;
- (vi) A description of the item; and
- (vii) If the person receiving or being benefited by the item is a public employee, the governmental body which employs the person shall be identified. Example: If five (5) lobbyists share equally in the cost of giving of an item worth one hundred dollars ($100) to a public servant, the forty dollar ($40.00) itemization threshold would be met and each lobbyist would report the giving of a twenty dollar ($20.00) item to the public servant and also report the names of the other lobbyists sharing in the cost of the giving of the item.
(b) Lobbyist activity reports shall include a:
- (1) Detailed statement of any money loaned or promised or line of credit established for a public servant or on behalf of the public servant over twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per individual, except as noted in 21 CAR § 3-207(3); and
(2) Statement detailing the direct business association or partnership with any public servant whom the lobbyist may lobby.
- (c)
- (1) Whenever the name of a public servant will appear in an activity report of a lobbyist, the lobbyist shall notify the public servant and provide him or her the information being reported.
- (2) The lobbyist shall mail or deliver the notification to the public servant not later than seven (7) working days prior to the date for filing the activity report.