2018 Vermont Statutes
Title 2 - Legislature
Chapter 11 - Registration Of Lobbyists
§ 264c Identification in and report of certain lobbying advertisements
§ 264c. Identification in and report of certain lobbying advertisements
(a) Identification.
(1) An advertisement that is intended, designed, or calculated to influence legislative action or to solicit others to influence legislative action and that is made at any time prior to final adjournment of a biennial or adjourned legislative session shall contain the name of any lobbyist, lobbying firm, or lobbyist employer that made an expenditure for the advertisement and language that the advertisement was paid for, or paid in part, by the lobbyist, lobbying firm, or lobbyist employer; provided, however:
(A) if there are more than three such names, only the three lobbyists, lobbying firms, or lobbyist employers that made the largest expenditures for the advertisement shall be required to be identified; and
(B) if a lobbyist or lobbying firm made the expenditure on behalf of a lobbyist employer, the identification information set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be in the name of that lobbyist employer.
(2) This identification information shall appear prominently and in a manner such that a reasonable person would clearly understand by whom the expenditure has been made.
(b) Report.
(1) In addition to any other reports required to be filed under this chapter, a lobbyist, lobbying firm, or lobbyist employer shall file an advertisement report with the Secretary of State if he, she, or it makes an expenditure or expenditures:
(A) for any advertisement that is described in subsection (a) of this section and that has a cost totaling $1,000.00 or more; or
(B) for any advertising campaign that contains advertisements described in subsection (a) of this section and that has a cost totaling $1,000.00 or more.
(2) The report shall be made for each advertisement or advertising campaign described in subdivision (1) of this subsection and shall identify the lobbyist, lobbying firm, or lobbyist employer that made the expenditure; the amount and date of the expenditure and to whom it was paid; and a brief description of the advertisement or advertising campaign.
(3) The report shall be filed within 48 hours of the expenditure or the advertisement or advertising campaign, whichever occurs first.
(4) If a lobbyist or lobbying firm made an expenditure described in subdivision (1) of this subsection on behalf of a lobbyist employer and that lobbyist or lobbying firm filed the report required by this subsection, the report shall specifically identify the employer on whose behalf the expenditure was made.
(c) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) "Advertisement" means a notice that appears in any of the following public media: radio, television, newspapers or other periodicals, or Internet websites.
(2) "Advertising campaign" means advertisements substantially similar in nature, regardless of the media in which they are placed. (Added 2015, No. 49, § 2.)
