Lobbyist Registration
"Lobbying" or "Lobbying Activities" means a communication, by any means, from a lobbyist to a covered individual regarding any item that will foreseeably be decided by a final decision-making authority, which communication seeks to influence, convince, or persuade the covered individual to support or oppose the item. Lobbying does not include communications:
a. Made on the record at a duly-noticed public meeting or hearing; or
b. From an attorney to an attorney representing Broward County or any municipality within Broward County regarding a pending or imminent judicial or adversarial administrative proceeding against Broward County or against any municipality within Broward County.
"Lobbyist" means a person who is retained, with or without compensation, for the purpose of lobbying, or a person who is employed by another person or entity, on a full-time or part-time basis, principally to lobby on behalf of that other person or entity. “Lobbyist” does not include a person who is:
a. An Elected Official, employee, or appointee of Broward County or of any municipality within Broward County communicating in his or her official capacity.
b. An individual who communicates on his or her own behalf, or on behalf of a person or entity employing the individual on a full-time or part-time basis, unless the individual is principally employed by that person or entity to lobby.
c. Any employee, officer, or board member of a homeowners' association, condominium association, or neighborhood association when addressing, in his or her capacity as an employee, officer, or board member of such association, an issue impacting the association or its members; or
d. Any employee, an officer, or a board member of a nonprofit public interest entity (e.g., Sierra Club, NAACP, ACLU) when addressing an issue impacting a constituent of that entity.
Persons engaging in lobbying either directly or indirectly by the solicitation of others to engage in lobbying activities, shall receive appropriate written authorization from the person on whose behalf they are lobbying and file that written authorization with the application.
Registration Fees
- Initial and annual lobbyist registration - $75
- Each principal (initial registration only) - $150
Overview
This page is designed to provide an overview of the City of Fort Lauderdale's Lobbyist Registration Ordinance and Lobbyist Registration Fee Resolution (07-101). Below you will find answers
to some of the most frequently asked questions,
such as:
- What are the registration procedures?
- What types of information will lobbyists be asked to provide?
Complete copies of the ordinance and resolution are available from the City Clerk's Office.
Lobbyist Registration Forms
Lobbyist registration forms may be downloaded from the City’s website. Registration forms may also be obtained in
person Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
at the City Clerk’s Office, located on the 7th
Floor of City Hall at 100 N. Andrews Avenue in
Fort Lauderdale. Forms may also be obtained by
calling (954) 828-5002.
Contact Information
For more information about the City of Fort Lauderdale’s
Lobbyist Registration Ordinance and Resolution, please contact:
City of Fort Lauderdale
Office of the City Clerk
100 N. Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Ph: (954) 828-5002
Fax: (954) 828-5017
agendainfo@fortlauderdale.gov
Questions & Answers
Who is required to register
as a lobbyist?
Any individual or organization must register
with the City Clerk’s Office when that individual
or organization is compensated to directly or indirectly
lobby City Commissioners, City Board or Committee
members, the City Manager or City employees.
When are lobbyists required
to register with the City?
Lobbyists must register with the City
Clerk’s Office prior to conducting any lobbying
activities. Initial registration will begin on
August 1, 2000. Individuals who conduct lobbying
activities after September 30, 2000 and are not
registered will be in violation of the ordinance.
Is there a registration fee?
Effective October 1, 2007, each lobbyist who wishes to conduct lobbyist activities with the City of Fort Lauderdale will be required to pay an annual registration fee of $75. This fee is due and payable on October 1 of each year.
In addition, effective October 1, 2007, for each Principal a Lobbyist registers with the City, there is a one-time fee of $150. This fee is initially payable on October 1, 2007, for each principal for whom the lobbyist is currently registered. For all new registrations submitted to the City of Fort Lauderdale after October 1, 2007, the fee of $150 is due and payable at the time the lobbyist registers a new principal. This fee is waived for registered not-for-profit entities.
What are the registration
procedures?
1) Lobbyist Registration - Lobbyist registration forms may be downloaded from this web page. Forms may also be obtained
in person from the City Clerk’s Office, 100 N.
Andrews Avenue, 7th Floor, or by calling (954)
828-5002. Completed registration forms may
be returned in person or by mail to:
City of Fort Lauderdale
Office of the City Clerk
100 N. Andrews Avenue, 7th Floor
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
2) Contact Log - Contact Log listing each Elected Official with whom the lobbyist, principal or employer meets must be filled out in person in the lobby directly outside the City Commission Office located at 100 N Andrews Avenue, 8th Floor.
What information will lobbyists
be asked to provide?
Lobbyists will be asked to provide information
relating to the following areas:
- Name, address and nature of lobbyist’s business;
- Name, address and occupation or profession of each individual or organization on whose behalf lobbying will be performed;
- Subject matters that lobbyist will seek to influence;
- Business association with any current elected official or City employee;
- Written authorization from each individual or organization on whose behalf lobbying will be performed.
- The information stated on the contact log shall include the lobbyist's name; the name of the entity by which the lobbyist is employed; the name of the person or entity for whom or which he or she is lobbying; the name of each Elected Official with whom he or she is meeting or communicating; the date and time of each such meeting; and the specific purpose and subject matter of each such meeting.
What reports will lobbyists
be required to file?
Effective October 1, 2007 and every subsequent October 1, lobbyists are required to submit a new Lobbyist Registration Form with an attached list of all active principals. Payment of the annual $75.00 Lobbyist Registration Fee must be submitted with the Registration form and list of all active Principals.
What is the Statement of
Representation?
Individuals must state that they are lobbyists
and disclose whom they are working for at the beginning
of any communication with the City.
What are the City’s lobbying
restrictions for former City Commissioners, Board
Members and City Employees?
Former City Commissioners, Board Members
and certain management level City employees are
prohibited from lobbying the City for one year
after leaving their position. This provision applies
only to those in office or employed at the time
or after the ordinance takes effect. (Note: Florida
statute prohibits former City Commissioners from
lobbying City elected officials for two years.) |
