JCOPE Gives Tentative Approval to “Source of Funding” Regulations (Updated)

At its meeting today, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) adopted regulations that will require some “advocacy organizations” to disclose the source of their funding (funding in excess of $5,000) that was used to fund its lobbying activity. These rules were supposed to be completed by June 1, 2012.

[Read background on the 2011 “donor disclosure” law in my prior blog post, and read the statute, found in Legislative Law § 1-h(c)(4) and Legislative Law § 1-j(c)(4)]

The regulations that JCOPE approved can be found on their web site.

JCOPE’s regulations propose only prospective disclosure; the first reporting will be in January 2013, covering the period July through December 2012.  Some groups (and one JCOPE member) have argued that the disclosure mandate should apply to any covered lobbying donations made since the law the Governor signed the measure into law in August 2011.

JCOPE’s adoption of the regulations means that they will move forward with the regulation adoption process — publication of the proposed rules and solicitation of public comment, after which JCOPE can either revise them or finally adopt them at a future meeting.

JCOPE posted the source of funding regulation on their web site this morning, so I have not had an opportunity to review them yet.

Update:  Read JCOPE’s press release on the draft regulations here.  JCOPE is accepting public comments on the proposed guidelines via email or regular mail (JCOPE, 540 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207).