The Lake County Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance that went into effect on Oct. 15, 2007, that requires all lobbyists to register when conducting business with County officials.
Lobbyists must register when contacting a County Commissioner, a department director, a division director or any employee of County Attorney's Office or County Manager's Office. A lobbyist can register a visit by signing a logbook, located in the receiving area of any County department or office. If a contact is made outside of County offices, including contact initiated by e-mail, telephone or written communication, a lobbyist is required to report this to the County Attorney's Office within seven calendar days of the activity.
For more information about the Lake County Lobbying Ordinance, call the County Attorney's Office at (352) 343-8787.
Any person, partnership, corporation or other business entity that receives compensation to lobby on behalf of a principal. Further, lobbyist means an employee of a principal when governmental relations, acting as a governmental liaison, or communicating with governmental agencies is a primary or substantial part of the employee's ongoing job responsibilities. Lobbyist does not mean a County official, County employee or any other person affiliated with the County while acting in his or her official capacity.
A person, partnership, joint venture, trust, association, corporation, governmental entity, or other entity which has contracted for, employed, retained or otherwise engaged the services of a lobbyist.
Communicating either directly or indirectly, in person, or by any other means, with any County Commissioner, Department Director, Division Director, employee in the County Attorney’s Office or employee in the County Manager’s Office, which seeks to influence the actions of any County Commissioner, advisory board member or County employee.
A lobbyist should register by signing, at each time of lobbying, on lobbyist logs maintained and available in each County office. The lobbyist should provide the following information:
Name & business address
Name & business address of each principal represented
Subsequent violations shall be punishable by a fine of $250 for each violation.
If a lobbyist violates the Lobbying Ordinance twice within the same 12-month period, the following penalties will apply:
The second violation shall result in a prohibition of lobbying within the County for a period of one year.
The third violation shall result in a prohibition of lobbying within the County for a period of two years.
If a lobbyist who violates the provisions of the Lobbyist Ordinance continues to lobby during their suspension, he or she shall be subject to prosecution in the name of the state in the manner as misdemeanors are prosecuted; and, upon conviction, such person shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500 or by imprisonment in the Lake County Jail not to exceed 60 days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
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