2016 Mississippi Code
Title 5 - Legislative Department
Chapter 8 - Lobbying Law Reform Act of 1994
§ 5-8-11. Report of payments received by lobbyist from each lobbyist's client; exceptions

(1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 5-8-7 of this chapter, a lobbyist shall file with the Secretary of State a separate report for each lobbyist's client. The report shall specifically list all payments received from the lobbyist's client and all expenditures that were initiated or paid by the lobbyist on behalf of each lobbyist's client during each reporting period required herein.

(2) The report must list expenditures for the purpose of lobbying according to the following categories:

(a) A payment to the lobbyist for salary, fee, compensation for expenses, or other purpose by the person employing, retaining or contracting for the services of the lobbyist separately or jointly with other persons;

(b) A payment for those portions of office rent, utilities, supplies and compensation of support personnel attributable to lobbying activities;

(c) A payment in support of or assistance to a lobbyist or the lobbyist's activities, including the direct payment of expenses incurred at the request or suggestion of the lobbyist;

(d) A payment, including compensation, payment or reimbursement for the services, time or expenses of an employee for or in connection with direct communication with an executive, legislative or public official or public employee, where such communication is made at the request, suggestion or direction of the lobbyist;

(e) A payment for or in connection with soliciting or urging other persons to enter into direct communication with an executive, legislative or public official or public employee, where such communication is made at the request, suggestion or direction of the lobbyist;

(f) A payment or reimbursement for food, beverages, travel, lodging, entertainment or sporting activities;

(g) A purchase, payment, distribution, loan, or forgiveness of a loan or payment of a loan by a third party, advance, deposit, transfer of funds, a promise to make a payment, or a gift of money or anything of value for any purpose.

(3) For each executive, legislative or public official or public employee who was paid, given or promised to be paid anything of value in full or in part from the lobbyist, the report must also include:

(a) The name of the executive, legislative or public official or employee who was paid, given or promised anything of value;

(b) A description and the monetary value of anything of value paid, given or promised to such official or employee, with sufficient detail so that the nature of the transfer is clear;

(c) The place and date anything of value was paid, given or promised; and

(d) The name of the person who paid, gave or promised to pay anything of value.

(4) Each expenditure for the purpose of lobbying must be reported in accordance with the category of the expenditure required in this section and with any additional categories as may be required by rule or regulation of the Secretary of State.

(5) A report of expenditures must be filed with the Secretary of State no later than January 30 of each year. The report shall contain information on all expenditures paid or initiated by the lobbyist on behalf of each lobbyist's client during the preceding twelve (12) calendar months, and it shall include a cumulative total for the calendar year of all reportable categories.

(6) In addition to the annual report required above, a lobbyist shall file two (2) reports during regular sessions of the Legislature with the Secretary of State on February 25 and within ten (10) days after the Legislature's adjournment sine die. Such additional report shall include the name of the executive, legislative, or public official or public employee who receives anything of value from the lobbyist or from the lobbyist on behalf of the lobbyist's client, the name of the person receiving the payment, the name of the person making the payment, the amount of the payment and the date of the payment. However, any lobbyist who lobbies local government exclusively shall be exempt from the requirement of filing the reports required by this paragraph.

(7) (a) If the entire Legislature and all statewide elected officials are individually invited to a single function which is sponsored by a lobbyist on behalf of one or more lobbyist's clients and is to begin and end within one (1) day, then it shall not be necessary to report the costs related to food and beverages offered for immediate consumption as required in subsection (3) of this section, so long as food and beverages provided at such functions are offered equally to all invitees; however, in all such cases, the amount expended for such functions shall be reported in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

(b) The report of the expenditure connected with a single function as described in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be made by the lobbyist and shall include the following:

(i) The total amount of money expended for the function, reception or meal;

(ii) The total number of persons in attendance at the function, reception or meal;

(iii) The total number of legislators in attendance at the function, reception or meal.

(8) A lobbyist shall maintain contemporaneous records of all expenditures reportable under Sections 5-8-1 through 5-8-19 of this chapter, and shall retain such records for a period of two (2) years.