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On July 30, 2002, the Metropolitan King County Council adopted initial administrative rules implementing the provisions of Ordinance 13320 (sometimes referred to as the Lobbyist Disclosure Ordinance). The ordinance requires immediate registration and quarterly reporting by lobbyists, lobbyist employer's and grass root lobbyists who lobby the county to influence legislation. The ordinance is intended to promote full disclosure of lobbying in order to protect the openness and integrity of the legislative process.
Per Ordinance 13320, Section 2.G. lobby or lobbying means: "attempting to influence, by communicating with councilmembers or council staff, the metropolitan King County council to develop, adopt, modify or reject legislation, or attempt to influence, by communicating with the executive or executive staff, the King County executive to approve or veto adopted legislation, or part thereof, presented to him or her."
Communications or other actions:
Who is required to file lobbyist disclosure forms in King County?
Any person who lobbies for compensation unless exempt by ordinance.
Who is exempt from filing lobbyist disclosure forms by ordinance?
Citizen lobbyists: Persons who lobby without compensation or with compensation or other consideration limited to reimbursement for minor incidental personal expenses, such as mileage, parking, meals, photocopying, telephone and facsimiles.
Technical experts: Employees of a business, or contracted experts who meet on an irregular basis (less than six times per quarter) with councilmembers or the executive or appear before public sessions of the council or its committees to provide expert testimony.
Government officials, officers and employees: Elected officials, officers and employees of any local, state or federal government agency acting within the scope of their representation of or employment with such agency are not required to register or report unless they are specifically retained by a government agency to lobby.
Media persons: News or feature reporting activities and editorial comment by working members of the press, radio or television and the publication or dissemination thereof by a newspaper, book publisher, regularly published periodical, radio station or television station.
What are the filing requirements?
Lobbyists: Each lobbyist (any person who lobbies for compensation) must file a Lobbyist Registration (Form L1) statement for each employer within seven days after being employed or otherwise being retained as a lobbyist. Citizen lobbyists, technical experts, media personnel and government officials (plus their officers and employees) are exempt from filing a lobbyist registration statement. Lobbyists are also required to prepare a Lobbyist Quarterly Expense Report (Form L2.1) for the first three quarters of the year, due April 15, July 15, and Oct. 15 respectively, and a Lobbyist January Expense Report (Form L2.2), due Jan. 15, which covers total expenditures for the preceding calendar year.
Lobbyist employer's: Employers of registered lobbyists are also required to report their total annual expenditures for lobbying by either filing a Lobbyist Employer's Report of Registered Lobbyists and Expenses (Form L3), due the last day of February for the prior year, or by signing each of their employee's Lobbyist January Expense Report.
Grass root lobbyists: Professional grass root lobbyists need to register by filing Professional Grass Roots Lobbying Campaign Report(s) (Form L4). A Professional Grass Root Lobbyist is defined as a person or group that spends, or knows they will spend in excess of $10,000 within 12 consecutive months presenting a program addressed to the public to influence legislation that may be the subject of action by the council.
What are the filing deadlines for each form?
Form Name |
Who must File |
Filing Deadline |
| L1: Lobbyist Registration | Any person who lobbies for compensation | Within 7 days of being employed |
| L2.1: Lobbyist Quarterly Expense Report |
Any person who lobbies for compensation | April 15, July 15, and Oct. 15 |
| L2.2: Lobbyist January Expense Report |
Any person who lobbies for compensation | Jan. 15th |
| L3: Lobbyist Employer's Report of Registered Lobbyists and Expenses |
Employers of registered lobbyists | Last day of Feb. |
| L4: Professional Grass Roots Lobbying Campaign Report |
A person or group that spends, or knows they will spend in excess of $10,000 within twelve (12) consecutive months presenting a program addressed to the public to influence legislation that may be the subject of action by the council. | As soon as person or group spends or knows they will spend $10,000 within 12 consecutive months. |
Where can lobbyist forms be obtained?
Copies of the forms are available at the Department of Executive Services, Room 3210, 701 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, by contacting us via e-mail (michael.strouse@kingcounty.gov), or by calling 206-296-3826. Additionally, electronic copies are available below.Lobbyists, lobbyist employers, and professional grass root lobbyists are required to file registration and expense reports by completing and forwarding a signed original copy of each required form, prior to required deadlines, via mail to:
Department of Executive Services
Attn: Lobbyist Registration Program
701 5th Avenue, Room 3210
Seattle, WA 98104
Forms may also be dropped off in person at the same address above.
Original signatures are required on all documents,
therefore electronic copies of forms cannot be accepted at this time. What are
the consequences of not filing? It is a violation of county code for an employer to
compensate a lobbyist who is not registered with King County except upon condition that
the employee register as a lobbyist within seven days. Failure to register will result in
a written warning for the first offense and fines for subsequent offenses. How are
violations of Ordinance 13320 reported? Except for allegations of untimely filing of statements and
reports, which are processed by the Department of Executive Services, complaints alleging
a violation of any provision of the ordinance should be filed with the county ombudsman. Only written complaints, describing the basis for the
complainant's belief that the Ordinance has been violated, verified and signed by the
complainant will be accepted. The complainant may state in the written complaint whether
the complainant desires their name be withheld from disclosure if the complaint is the
subject to public disclosure. Where can I find a list of current registered lobbyists?
Where can I get copies of the ordinance and public rules?
Copies of Ordinance 13320 and the Public Rules are available at the Department of Executive Services, 701 5th Avenue, #3210, Seattle, WA 98104, or electronic copies are available by clicking on the links below.
Who to contact with additional questions?
If you have additional questions or feedback regarding this web page, please e-mail or call Mike Strouse at 206-296-3826.
Updated: April 30, 2008
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