LOBBYING EXPENDITURES and the TOP 100 LOBBYING FIRMS
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DIVISIONS: POLITICAL REFORM DIVISION Archives (916) 653-6224 Corporate Filings (916) 653-5045 (FAX) Elections 1500 11th Street, Room 495 Information Technology Sacramento, CA 95814 Limited Partnership Management Services Notary Public Political Reform Uniform Commercial Code BILL JONES Secretary of State State of California LOBBYING EXPENDITURES and THE TOP 100 LOBBYING FIRMS January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000 A Summary of Payments by Employers of Lobbyists and Payments Received by Lobbying Firms in Connection with California Legislative and Administrative Action This Report is Available on the Secretary of State's Internet Home Page - http://www.ss.ca.gov/prd/prd.htm OVERVIEW OF LOBBYING EXPENDITURES: JANUARY 1, 1999 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2000 • $344.3 million was spent to lobby* state government in California during the two-year legislative session beginning January 1, 1999 and ending December 31, 2000*. (See Page iii) • The $344.3 million spent to lobby state government during 1999-2000 sets a new record for total lobbying expenditures and continues a consistent trend of ever- increasing costs. • Total lobbying expenditures for the six most recent legislative sessions were: 1989-90 $193,575,480 1991-92 $233,872,097 1993-94 $250,119,667 1995-96 $266,939,559 1997-98 $292,615,513 1999-00 $344,318,650 * Lobbying expenditures identified in this report include expenditures for the purpose of attempting to influence state administrative actions in addition to expenditures to influence the State Legislature. The most significant expenditures involving administrative actions are payments by utilities (e.g., Pacific Telesis Group & its subsidiaries) in connection with proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission and payments by insurance companies (e.g., State Farm Insurance Companies) in connection with proceedings before the Department of Insurance. In addition, lobbying expenditures include dues paid by certain government agencies to organizations that engage in specified lobbying activities. These dues are paid primarily by local governments to associations (e.g., California State Association of Counties; League of California Cities). Dues which must be disclosed as lobbying expenditures also are paid by some school districts and utilities. Consequently, the interest group categories identified in this report which include dues payments are: government, education and utilities. • Among all lobbyist employers, the California Teachers Association spent the most on lobbying activities from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000. The total two-year lobbying expenditures for the California Teachers Association were $5,742,924. (See Page v) • During the fourth quarter of 2000, the California Chamber of Commerce spent the most on lobbying activities -- $966,133. (See Page vi) • Among lobbying firms, Kahl/Pownall Advocates received the most payments during the two-year period of January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000, totaling over $8.5 million, as well as receiving the most payments during the fourth quarter of 2000, totaling $1,133,334. (See Pages vii and viii) • The following report summarizes total payments made by 2,176 lobbyist employers, including payments made to in- house lobbyists and to contract lobbyists. In addition to salaries and fees, the payments include overhead expenses and gifts. Total payments to the top 100 lobbying firms also are included. • The report identifies lobbyist employers by categories, ranging from agriculture to utilities. Rankings of the categories by expenditures for the two-year period of January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000 are on Page iii. (NOTE: Lobbying entities indicate the category in which they believe they belong when they register, and may only be placed in one category.) • The list of lobbyist employers by category and their expenditures begins on Page 1, Section I, of the report. The list of the top 100 lobbying firms, their clients and payments received begins on Page 116, Section II, of the report. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE I. LOBBYIST EMPLOYERS Agriculture..................................................................................................... 1 Education...................................................................................................... 5 Entertainment & Recreation.......................................................................... 18 Finance & Insurance..................................................................................... 23 Government.................................................................................................. 31 Health ........................................................................................................... 44 Labor Unions ................................................................................................ 56 Legal............................................................................................................. 58 Lodging/Restaurants..................................................................................... 60 Manufacturing/Industrial ............................................................................... 61 Merchandise/Retail ....................................................................................... 72 Miscellaneous............................................................................................... 75 Oil & Gas ...................................................................................................... 93 Political Organizations .................................................................................. 95 Professional/Trade........................................................................................ 96 Public Employees ......................................................................................... 102 Real Estate ................................................................................................... 104 Transportation............................................................................................... 109 Utilities .......................................................................................................... 113 II. LOBBYING FIRMS (SECTION TWO) ............................................................ 116 PREFACE AND SUMMARY The information contained in this report was obtained from disclosure statements filed with the Secretary of State by employers of lobbyists and lobbying firms covering the period of January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000. A lobbyist employer, as defined by Government Code Section 82039.5, is "any person, other than a lobbying firm, who: (a) Employs one or more lobbyists for economic consideration...for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action, or (b) Contracts for the services of a lobbying firm for economic consideration...for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action." Government Code Section 82038.5 describes a lobbying firm as "any business entity, including an individual contract lobbyist, which...receives or becomes entitled to receive any compensation...for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action on behalf of any other person...." This report summarizes payments made by 2,176 lobbyist employers, including payments to lobbyists employed by the filer ("in-house lobbyists") or payments made to lobbying firms ("contract lobbyists"); activity expenses, including gifts; and the total of all other payments, including overhead expenses. It also summarizes the total payments received, including fees and retainers, by the top 100 lobbying firms registered with the Secretary of State. The report groups lobbyist employers by interest categories, such as agriculture, finance/insurance, and legal. It discloses the total expenditures for each lobbyist employer and each category of lobbyist employer from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000. Campaign contributions made by lobbyist employers are not included in this report. Lobbying expenditures identified in this report include expenditures for the purpose of attempting to influence state administrative actions in addition to expenditures to influence legislative actions. The most significant expenditures involving administrative actions are payments by utilities (e.g. Pacific Telesis Group & its subsidiaries) in connection with proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission and payments by insurance companies (e.g., State Farm Insurance Companies) in connection with proceedings before the Department of Insurance. For lobbying firms, the report includes the total payments received by each firm, and also identifies individual clients of each firm and their payments from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000. i This report by the Secretary of State is intended to provide an overview of lobbying payments. Copies of lobbying disclosure statements, which are filed with the Secretary of State on a quarterly basis coinciding with each two-year legislative session, are available for more detailed examination at the Political Reform Division of the Secretary of State, 1500 11th Street, Room 495, Sacramento, CA 95814. They may also be viewed on the Secretary of State web site at www.ss.ca.gov. NOTE: When the following report identifies zero financial activity ($0) for a lobbyist employer, this means that the lobbyist employer disclosure report filed for this time period did not reflect any expenditure activity, or that the filing was not made. ii JANUARY 1, 1999 – DECEMBER 31, 2000 LOBBYING