Section 560.220  Registration Requirements

a)         Every natural person and every entity required to register under the Act shall register before any service is performed which requires the natural person or entity to register, but in any event not later than 2 business days after being employed or retained.  (Section 5 of the Act)  Every lobbying entity shall designate a person as an authorized agent (see Sections 560.100 and 560.205) who shall be responsible for reporting under this Part.

b)         The authorized agent shall file an Entity Registration Statement and an Exclusive Lobbyist Information Statement for all persons who lobby exclusively for the entity even if lobbying is a small percentage of that person's job duties.  (See Section 560.405.)

c)         Every natural person and every entity required to register under the Act shall annually renew his or her registration on or before January 31 of each year if continuing lobbyist activities from the previous year.  By December 15 of each year, the Secretary of State Index Department will send to all current authorized agents reminder notices of the January 31 deadline.  Nothing in this Section shall relieve a lobbyist or lobbying entity from the requirement to register before commencing lobbying activities in a particular year and within 2 business days after being employed or retained for lobbying services.

d)         The registrant has a continuing duty to report any substantial change or addition to the information contained in the registration.  (Section 5 of the Act)

e)         Registration statements shall be filed in accordance with the definition of "filing" (see Section 560.100).

f)         All registration statements shall include an annual, non-refundable, non-transferable registration fee, assessed as follows, in the form of a credit or debit card payment or electronic check payable to the Secretary of State:

1)         A lobbyist's registration shall include a single, annual, non-refundable, non-transferrable registration fee of $300.   A self-employed independent contract lobbyist who does not lobby under a business entity name or an assumed business name and who has no employees engaged in lobbying activities may submit a single annual fee of $300 and need not pay an entity fee.

2)         A lobbying entity's registration shall include a single, annual, non-refundable, non-transferable registration fee of $300 for the entity and a  single, annual, non-refundable, non-transferable registration fee of $300 for each person registering as a lobbyist on an Exclusive Lobbyist Information Statement.

g)         The Secretary of State Index Department will provide an acknowledgment to each authorized agent indicating the date of receipt for all statements filed (see Section 560.100).

h)         Persons solely engaged in grass roots lobbying as an employee of a lobbying entity or a participant in a grass roots lobbying event who make a reportable expenditure are required to register unless the expenditure is reported to the registered entity pursuant to Section 560.326.

i)          The registrant must file a confirmation that the registrant has a sexual harassment policy as required by  Section 4.7, that such policy shall be made available to any individual within 2 business days upon written request (including electronic requests), that any person may contact the authorized agent of the registrant to report allegations of sexual harassment alleged against the registrant or exclusive lobbyist hired by the registrant, and that the registrant recognizes the Inspector General has jurisdiction to review any allegations of sexual harassment alleged against the registrant or lobbyists hired by the registrant (Section 5(d) of the Act). The confirmation required by this subsection (i) will substantially be presented during the electronic registration process as follows:  Submission of registration confirms that this lobbying registrant is in compliance, and will maintain compliance, with the Lobbyist Registration Act and this Part through the period of registration in this calendar year.  This confirms that:

1)         The registrant has a written policy on the prevention, prohibition and investigation of sexual harassment and retaliation that includes how to report allegations and the consequences for committing sexual harassment or retaliation.

2)         The registrant will provide all employees required to register with a copy of the policy and secure an acknowledgment of receipt.

3)         The policy shall be made available, within 2 business days, to any individual who makes a written request for the policy (including electronic requests).

4)         Any person may contact the authorized agent of the registrant to report allegations of sexual harassment.

5)         The registrant recognizes the Inspector General has jurisdiction to review any allegations of sexual harassment against the registrant or lobbyists hired by the registrant.

6)         The registrant acknowledges that violations with regard to sexual harassment are subject to the jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and are subject to the penalties of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act [5 ILCS 430].

j)          Each natural person required to register as a lobbyist under the Act must complete, at least annually, a sexual harassment training program provided by the Secretary of State no later than 30 days after registration or renewal under the Act.  This requirement does not apply to a lobbying entity or a client that hires a lobbyist that:

1)         does not have employees of the lobbying entity or clients registered as lobbyists; or

2)         does not have an actual presence in Illinois.  [25 ILCS 170/4.7]

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 751, effective December 20, 2018)