TITLE I
THE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 15
LOBBYISTS

Section 15:6

    15:6 Statements. –
I. Each lobbyist shall file with the secretary of state itemized statements under oath of:
(a) All fees received from any lobbying client that are related, directly or indirectly, to lobbying, such as public advocacy, government relations, or public relations services including research, monitoring legislation, and related legal work.
(b) All expenditures made from lobbying fees, including by whom paid or to whom charged.
(c) Any honorarium or expense reimbursement, as defined in RSA 15-B or RSA 14-C, or political contribution, as defined in RSA 664, made by the lobbyist in his or her professional or personal capacity, on behalf of the lobbyist, the partnership, firm, or corporation or by the lobbyist on behalf of the client or employer or by a family member of the lobbyist. The statements shall be open to public inspection. For the purposes of this chapter, "family member" shall mean any person related to and living in the same domicile as the lobbyist, who shares a common economic interest in the expenses of daily living, including, but not limited to, a spouse, child, or parents.

[Paragraph II effective until January 1, 2027; see also paragraph II set out below.]


II. Lobbyists shall file statements no later than the last Wednesday of each January, April, July, and October covering all fees received and expenditures, contributions, honorariums, or expense reimbursements made since the last required filing, from fees received at any time from a lobbying client or employer or from funds otherwise provided by the lobbyist, partnership, firm, or corporation, or from the client or employer.

[Paragraph II effective January 1, 2027; see also paragraph II set out above.]


II. Lobbyists shall electronically file statements no later than January 31, May 31, and September 30, covering all fees received and expenditures, contributions, honorariums, or expense reimbursements made since the last required filing, from fees received at any time from a lobbying client or employer or from funds otherwise provided by the lobbyist, partnership, firm, or corporation, or from the client or employer.
III. In this chapter "value" means the amount at which property or services would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller when neither is under any compulsion to buy or sell and both have reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.
IV. A lobbyist, in his or her professional or personal capacity, or a family member of a lobbyist making a contribution, honorarium, or expense reimbursement, in a form other than cash, check or negotiable instrument, to a person with a duty to report that contribution, honorarium, or expense reimbursement pursuant to RSA 15-B, RSA 14-C, or RSA 664 shall provide the recipient with a written statement of the value of the contribution, honorarium, or expense reimbursement if the value is different than any price or value printed on the contribution, honorarium, or expense reimbursement or if the contribution, honorarium, or expense reimbursement does not have a price affixed to it.

[Introductory paragraph of paragraph V effective until January 1, 2027; see also introductory paragraph of paragraph V set out below.]


V. The lobbyist statement shall be in the form prescribed by the secretary of state, may be in paper or electronic form, and shall include at a minimum:

[Introductory paragraph of paragraph V effective January 1, 2027; see also introductory paragraph of paragraph V set out above.]


V. The lobbyist statement shall be filed electronically with the secretary of state in a format that enables the secretary of state to link all information regarding income and expenses, political contributions, and honorariums or expense reimbursements submitted by an individual lobbyist under this section, and shall include at a minimum:
(a) The full name of each lobbyist covered by the report.
(b) The name of the lobbyist partnership, firm, or corporation, if any.
(c) The business address and telephone number for the lobbyist, partnership, firm, or corporation.
(d) For each lobbying client, the full name and business address of the client, the scope of the representation or lobbyist services being paid for, the gross amount of all fees received from that client, not reduced by any expenses, that are related, directly or indirectly, to lobbying, such as public advocacy, government relations, or public relations services including research, monitoring legislation, and related legal work, a statement of the aggregate total of fees received that are related, directly or indirectly, to lobbying services during the calendar year, and a statement of any fee payment due, but not yet paid.
(e) For each honorarium or expense reimbursement made, that is reportable pursuant to RSA 15-B or RSA 14-C:
(1) The name of the client on whose behalf the expense reimbursement or honorarium was made, if any.
(2) The name of the person receiving the honorarium or expense reimbursement.
(3) A brief description of the event to which the honorarium or expense reimbursement relates.
(4) The value of the honorarium or expense reimbursement.
(f) For each political contribution made that is reportable pursuant to RSA 664:
(1) The name of the candidate.
(2) The office the candidate is seeking.
(3) The value of the contribution.
(4) If the contribution is an in-kind contribution, a brief description of the contribution.
(g) For all expenditures for salaries, benefits, support staff, and office expenses, related directly or indirectly to lobbying, a statement of the total aggregate expenses for salaries, support staff, and office expenses related directly or indirectly to lobbying shall satisfy the requirement that an itemized statement of these expenses be filed.
(h) The following statement followed by a line for each person filing the form to sign and date the form: "I have read RSA 15, RSA 15-B, RSA 14-C, and RSA 664 and hereby swear or affirm that the foregoing information is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief."
VI. The secretary of state shall maintain the statements required by this section for 6 years from the date of filing, after which time the statements may be destroyed. The public information on the forms shall be available to the public in the form of a photocopy or an electronic record. The secretary of state shall, as soon as is practical, implement an electronic record keeping system that makes lobbyist registration forms and fee and expense reports available to the public through the internet.

Source. 2006, 21:7; 312:3, 4. 2009, 203:2, 3, eff. Sept. 13, 2009. 2016, 328:10, eff. Dec. 7, 2016. 2024, 254:2, 3, eff. Jan. 1, 2027.