State Elections Enforcement Commission

Frequently Asked Questions - Lobbyist Provisions

General Provisions
Sessional Ban

I am a communicator lobbyist. Can I give contributions to candidate committees for General Assembly and statewide candidates or party committees? Can I attend fundraisers for such committees? (rev. 8/27/10)

Yes. Under Public Act 10-1, communicator lobbyists and their immediate family members may now contribute up to $100 in the aggregate to exploratory or candidate committees for statewide or General Assembly candidates [both nonparticipating and participating candidates] , political committees established or controlled by those candidates, legislative caucus or legislative leadership committees, or party committees (which includes town committees).
As a communicator lobbyist, can I attend fundraisers for candidate committees for General Assembly and statewide candidates or party committees so long as the ticket price is under $100? (rev. 8/27/10)

Yes. Under Public Act 10-1, communicator lobbyists and their immediate family members may now attend such fundraisers as they are no longer subject to a solicitation ban. Note that starting January 1, 2011, communicator lobbyists and their immediate family members will be prohibited from soliciting contributions for covered committees (exploratory or candidate committees for statewide or General Assembly candidates, political committees established or controlled by those candidates, legislative caucus or legislative leadership committees, or party committees) from individuals who serve on the board of directors of, are partners of, are employed by, or have a 5 percent or more ownership interest in any client lobbyist they represent.
As a communicator lobbyist, can I host a fundraiser for a candidate for General Assembly or statewide office? (rev. 8/27/10)

No. The new statute prohibits communicator lobbyists from bundling contributions on behalf of executive and legislative branch candidates. The statute defines "bundle" as forwarding five or more contributions to a single committee by a communicator lobbyist, an agent of the lobbyist, or an immediate family member of a lobbyist or raising contributions for such a committee at a fundraising affair hosted or sponsored by such lobbyist, lobbyist's agent or immediate family member. This bundling ban takes effect immediately.

Does the provision prohibiting lobbyist solicitation and contributions during the legislative session apply during a special session of the General Assembly convened after the regular legislative session in 2017? (rev. 6/8/17)

Yes. The lobbyist sessional ban provision applies during any special session of the General Assembly held between the adjournment of the 2017 session and the convening of the next regular session and to any reconvened special session to reconsider vetoed bills.
Does the language in the Secretary of State’s Call Convening the General Assembly into Special Session, which provides that such “I hereby call the 2017 General Assembly to convene in Special Session on December 29 at ten o’clock in the forenoon” mean that the sessional ban begins at 10:00 a.m. on December 29? (rev. 1/2/17)

Yes, both houses of the General Assembly met at 10 o’clock on December 29, 2017 to gavel in the special session. The sessional lobbyist contribution and solicitation ban will apply from the time the special session has been gaveled into session until it adjourns sine die.
Does the language in Senate Joint Resolution 63 (Resolution Convening the General Assembly in Special Session), which provides that such “[special] session be convened not earlier than 12:01 a.m. on June 8, 2017”, mean that the sessional ban begins at 12:01 a.m. on June 8, 2017? (rev. 6/8/17)

No. This language in Senate Joint Resolution 63 only authorizes the time period when the special session may be called, and does not actually put the General Assembly into session. The sessional lobbyist contribution and solicitation ban will apply when the special session has been gaveled into session.
Does the provision prohibiting lobbyist solicitation and contributions during the legislative session apply during a special session of the General Assembly convened after the regular legislative session in 2012? (rev. 5/23/12)

No. The lobbyist sessional ban provision does not apply during any special session of the General Assembly held between the adjournment of the regular session in an even-numbered year and the convening of the regular session in the following odd-numbered year.