Philadelphia City Council Continues Work To Tweak Lobbying Oversight Law
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A plan to restrict the activities of lobbyists in Philadelphia continued to wind its way through City Hall today, with another hearing on the proposal in City Council chambers.
The law requires lobbyists to register with the city, and to disclose how they have spent money. It was originally supposed to go into effect last July, but has yet to be implemented as city officials try to tweak it.
One unresolved issue, according to Philadelphia Board of Ethics director Shane Creamer, were the restrictions on public officials being wined and dined.
"You would literally have to have someone follow the mayor or councilmembers around, writing down what food they picked up, what drinks they had, and trying to calculate the value of that," he told the hearing today.
So now, a Council committee has approved amendments to the new law that, among other things, clarify the types of events where such notetaking is not necessary.
Other changes came in response to the Philadelphia Bar Association, which felt that some of the original language on what constitutes lobbying was too vague.
Reported by KYW City Hall bureau chief Mike Dunn
