Croneal Consulting Group has developed a database to help employers avoid paying out unnecessary cash on state fines for failing to timely file lobbying reports with state ethics commissions.
The information and research services firm is offering the Lobbyist Tracking Database on its Web portal, LobbyistResources.com. The database was created in Microsoft Access and contains 10 fields and six different reports that track everything from pending lobbyist filings, actual filings, state fines, as well as the timeliness in which employers or lobbyists submit filings.
With the tracking database, in-house staff responsible for filings have the ability to remind lobbyists that they have filings pending by e-mailing them a pending lobbyist filings report. The database also supports a document link that allows staff to incorporate filing forms to each report on a shared directory.
Recent data indicates that the assessment of civil penalties against employers for late lobbyist filings remains a top priority in some states. In fact, in 2007, the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, which regulates state lobbyists, fined more than 50 different principals or employers in an amount exceeding $20,000 for failing to timely file lobbyist reports.
"Statutory fines resulting from delayed lobbyist filings are an unnecessary and avoidable expense for employers with the proper quality control procedures in place," said Alexis Scott, product development manager for Croneal Consulting Group. "We are hoping that more employers will see the benefit of having an in-house lobbyist tracking database like ours that will help them keep track of their lobbyists' filings."
Employers or lobbyists who are in interested in learning more about the Lobbyist Tracking Database may view a snapshot of it by visiting LobbyistResources.com and scrolling down to the section titled "Legislative/
