Expenditure reports are due for all months in which the lobbyist/firm is registered, regardless of activity level. To begin:

  1. Login to the Lobbyist Electronic Filing system using your user account.
  2. Under Lobbyists I File For, choose the name of the lobbyist/firm who the expenditure report will be filed for.
  3. On the page for the lobbyist/firm, find the Lobbyist Menu and choose the New Monthly Filing option.
  4. Choose your reporting period from the drop-down field
  5. You can select to bring forward data from a previous filing or you can start from scratch. Once you have indicated your choice, click the submit icon to proceed. Caution - if you use the "bring forward" option, keep in mind that any activity which is date specific will cause problems when you attempt to submit the report. For example, if you bring forward activity such as entertainment or contributions from a previous report, it will have that activity with the date it appeared previously. The "bring forward" option works best when choosing information which is non-date specific such as compensation and sub-contract compensation

Entering expenses and activities

The lobbyist (or person filing the report) will see a series of tabs on the monthly report page. Review information on each tab where you will indicate, through a series of yes or no questions, whether you have reportable activity. If there is activity, continue on that tab to provide the requested information.

Here's a quick rundown of what goes where. See Lobbying Activities To Report for more details.

Personal expenses: Report personal expenses for travel, food and refreshments.

Compensation: Enter all compensation such as salary, wages and retainers earned from each client (employer) for this period.

Entertainment:

  • Entertainment expenditures exceeding $100 per occasion (including lobbyist's expense) for meals, beverages, tickets, passes, or for other forms of entertainment.
  • Receptions.
  • Travel, lodging and subsistence expenses in connection with a speech, presentation, appearance, trade mission, seminar or educational program.
  • Enrollment and course fees in connection with a seminar or educational program.

Contributions: Any campaign contributions made by the lobbyist on their own behalf, or another's.

Advertising: Expenditures for advertising, printing, public relations, polling, and telemarketing.

Other:

  • Payments to a sub-contract lobbyist
  • Other expenses that would not have been made but for your attempt to influence the passage or defeat of legislation or the adoption or rejection of any agency rule, rate or standard and that are not reportable elsewhere. Include expenses for meeting rooms, tours, charitable donations made at the official's or employee's request, and grassroots lobbying expenditures.

Lobbying:

  • Details of all lobbying activity during the period to include the employer represented, subject matter or proposed legislation, issue or bill number and the persons, legislative committee or state agency considering the matter.
  • A percentage breakdown of the time lobbying the legislature as well as state agencies.

Describe the subject matter or issue, or supply the bill number of the legislation you attempted to influence during the month. Also specify which legislative committee or agency was considering the matter and which employer was represented during your lobbying contacts. Be specific as possible.

Of the time you spent lobbying during the month, what percentage of it was used for legislative lobbying? For lobbying state agencies? Do not factor in time devoted to non-lobbying activities. Only consider the time you spent lobbying during the reporting period and indicate the percentage for legislative and state agency lobbying. For example, if approximately half of your lobbying time was devoted to each, report 50% for both types of lobbying.