Indiana Senate Bill 364 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Introduced on January 11 2011 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2011-02-10 - Senator Simpson added as second author
Pending: Senate Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [HTML]

Includes the legislative council and the budget committee in the definition of "legislative body" in the lobbyist regulation statute. Provides that a national organization established by an association of persons that includes members of state legislatures or by a political party and whose primary purpose is the education and support of legislative leadership, legislators, legislative staff, or related government employees is not considered a lobbyist. Defines "reporting year" for purposes of lobbyist reporting of expenditures and gifts. Requires a lobbyist's report of purchases or gifts must be filed with the lobby registration commission (commission) electronically. Requires the commission to forward a copy of such a report electronically to the affected legislator and the secretary of the senate or the principal clerk of the house of representatives. Provides that such a report is confidential until ten days after the commission forwards the report. Provides that if such a report is corrected within the period of confidentiality, the report remains confidential. Provides that a lobbyist's activity report must report expenditures for a function or activity to which a legislative body is invited. Deletes language about the reporting of expenditures or gifts relating to the performance of a legislative person's official duties. Provides that the prohibition of lobbyist payment of a legislative person's out of state travel expenses does not apply to an out of state function paid for by a lobbyist if all members of a legislative body or all legislative persons from Indiana attending the function are invited. Provides that money received by a candidate or committee as a political contribution may not be used to send a communication to an electronic mail address: (1) with a domain name that contains "in.gov"; (2) of any agency in the legislative, executive, or judicial branch of state government; or (3) of any political subdivision. Redefines "communication" in the statute relating to communications by state officers to refer to only audio and video communications intended for dissemination to the general public or a print communication in a newspaper. Provides that a communication made before the effective date of the amendment that would not have violated the statute under the amended definition of "communication" is considered not to have violated the statute as in effect before the amendment. Authorizes the inspector general to directly institute civil proceedings against persons who have failed to pay civil penalties imposed by the state ethics commission. Requires the state board of accounts to provide to the inspector general (in addition to the attorney general) copies of certain reports concerning: (1) malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office by public officials or employees; (2) fraud or misconduct with respect to public contracts; or (3) unlawful expenditure or diversion of public money. Repeals or deletes provisions in the statutes governing the following quasi-governmental entities that give those entities the option of establishing a code of ethics for their employees or being under the jurisdiction of the state ethics commission (the state ethics commission statute provides that these entities are "agencies" for purposes of the commission's jurisdiction): (1) Indiana finance authority. (2) Indiana bond bank. (3) Public employees' retirement fund. (4) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund. (5) Board for depositories. (6) Indiana housing and community development authority. (7) Ports of Indiana. (8) Bureau of motor vehicles commission. (9) Indiana homeland security foundation. (10) Indiana natural resources foundation. (11) Indiana White River state park development commission. (12) State fair commission. (13) State student assistance commission. (14) Indiana grain indemnity corporation. (15) Indiana political subdivision risk management commission.

Government ethics.

Sen. Patricia Miller [R]

Sen. Vi Simpson [D]

Date	Chamber	Action
2011-02-10		Senator Simpson added as second author
2011-01-11		First reading: referred to Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure
2011-01-11		Authored by Senator Miller

Type	Source
Summary	http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2011&session=1&request=getBill&doctype=SB&docno=0364
Text	http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2011/IN/IN0364.1.html