NORTH CAROLINA COALITION FOR
LOBBYING AND GOVERNMENT REFORM 
2010 AGENDA

With political scandals almost routine in Raleigh and polls showing
 three-quarters of North Carolinians believe state government corrupt, the
 stakes couldn't be higher for ethics reform in 2010. The North Carolina
 Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform, a bi-partisan coalition of
 more than 50 groups and individual civic leaders, today released a
 legislative agenda that will build on recent reform and help restore 
citizen confidence in state government.

 Greater Accountability

• Pay to Play: Ban campaign contributions from state
   contractors to elected officials who approve the contract.
• Revolving Door (H1136): Require a six-month or longer cooling off
   period before top executive branch officials can become lobbyists. Also,
  require at least a six months before state employees can take a job with
   industries they contract with or regulate.
• Gift Ban: Extend to all state employees the gift ban ordered in
   October by Gov. Perdue for employees in her office and in cabinet 
  agencies. Appointees to state boards and commissions also should be prohibited from
   receiving gifts from people having business with their panel.
• Political Party Contribution Limits: Prohibit political parties
   from providing unlimited campaign funds to legislative and statewide
   campaigns and limit the transfer of money from one political committee to
   another.
• Charitable Solicitation: Outlaw the solicitation of charitable
   contributions from lobbyists by legislators. These solicitations have
   replaced meals and travel as a way of currying favor with legislators.
  
   More Sunshine
  
• Disclosure by appointees to Boards and Commissions (H944): 
  Direct appointees to state boards and commissions to report their campaign
  contributions to appointing elected officials. Also require that 
  appointees to the state's top regulatory boards and commissions report their
   contributions and fundraising activities on behalf of elected officials 
  with appointing authority.
• Gift disclosures on Statement of Economic Interest: Require
   persons filing an annual Statement of Economic Interest form to list all
  gifts of $100 or more from those seeking to do business with the state;
  and list all gifts exceeding $200, with the exception of gifts from their
   immediate family.
• Statement of Economic Interest for final year in elected office:
   Require all elected officials to file a statement of economic interest 
  that covers their final year in elective office. Currently, the final filing 
  date is April 15.
• Disclosure of bundling of more than $30,000 in campaign funds:
   Oblige the person raising money for the campaign to file the disclosure on
   the same schedule as campaign reports.
  
  For more information on the North Carolina Coalition for Lobbying and
   Government Reform and its 2010 Agenda, contact Jane Pinsky, 919-833-0092 
  or  919-271-0630, or j.pinsky@nclobbyreform.org