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Comprehensive Biennial Period Information

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Registration Terminations - New Feature as of 10/11/23

Enhancements to the Lobbying Application ('LA')

 

NEW FEATURE as of October 2023 – Two new functions have been released in COELIG’s online Lobbying Application (‘LA’) related to Registration Terminations.

Lobbyists and Public Corporations that want to terminate earlier than the end date specified in the lobbying agreement are now able to terminate the entire lobbying relationship within LA.  

Additionally, the Lobbying Application will automatically terminate (1) Registrations with lobbying agreements that reach the end date specified in the agreement, and (2) all Registrations that reach December 31st of the second year of a biennial period – with no action required by the Lobbyist or Client.

                *NOTE: This feature applies to all filers, including PDF ‘paper filers’.

Information for PDF ‘paper filers’

PDF ‘paper filers’ that want to terminate the lobbying relationship earlier than the end date specified in the lobbying agreement must notify the Commission within 30 days of the lobbying relationship ending.  Refer to the ‘Procedure for Early Terminations by Clients and Paper Filers’ section below for more information.

 

Overview of the Termination Functions in LA

 

Refer to the step-by-step instructions ‘‘How to submit a Registration Termination in the Online Lobbying Application (‘LA’)’  for information on the following functions.

 
Auto-Terms | Registrations that automatically terminate in LA

No action is required. Lobbyists and Public Corporations will receive system-generated email notifications when a Registration has auto-terminated. The auto-term functionality applies to both online and PDF ‘paper filers’.

 
Early Terms | Registration Terminations that occur prior to the original end date of the lobbying relationship.

If a Lobbyist/Public Corporation wants to terminate early and files online, please log into the Application to submit your termination within 30 days of the lobbying relationship ending.

 

Re-engagement | Reactivating a Registration that has been previously terminated
  • Online filers are no longer required to submit requests to withdraw a termination for a Registration that has been previously terminated.  Online filers are able to easily amend a terminated Registration and upload a new lobbying agreement to resume lobbying activity.

 

  • PDF ‘Paper Filers’ are required to mail a Registration Amendment to re-activate a Registration that has been previously terminated within the same biennial.

 

Coming Soon - Client Terminations

 

Client Terminations have not yet been implemented in LA. Clients who end the lobbying relationship earlier than the original end date are required to notify the Commission within 30 days of the lobbying relationship ending using the process outlined below.

 
Procedure for Client Terminations and Paper Filers

Notification of an early termination must be submitted by an authorized person and provide the required information.  Refer to the sample termination letters for more information.

An authorized person can be any of the following individuals:

  • CAO (or designee)
  • Delegated Administrator
  • Preparer

 

Notifications should preferably be submitted via email to [email protected] or may be submitted by regular mail to:

NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government

Attn: Registration Unit – Client Terminations

540 Broadway

Albany, NY 12207

Termination Instructions

  •  

    How to submit a Termination in LA

    Technical 'click-here' instructions on how to submit a Registration Termination in the online Lobbying Application and how to re-engage an agreement that has already been terminated.

     

     
     

    Download

Termination Sample Letters for PDF 'Paper' Filers

Filing Due Dates

Lobbying Application Instructions

Below is a comprehensive list of instructions to assist Filers when navigating the online Lobbying Application 'LA'.  

Please be advised of regular Lobbying Application Availability and System Maintenance. 

Normal maintenance windows for the Lobbying Application ("LA") are scheduled, at minimum, for every Wednesday and Friday evening between 7 and 9 p.m., meaning access will be unavailable. Please save and/or submit any filings you are working on outside of those time periods.

Filing Instructions

  •  

    Coalition Filing Requirements

    Beginning with the 2021 Biennial Registration Period, the Commission’s regulations have been amended to simplify and clarify how Lobbying Activity by Coalitions should be disclosed. The following guidance will assist a Coalition in determining whether it is required to file Lobbying Reports as a Coalition, or if, instead, its Members are required to disclose their Coalition Contributions in their own Lobbying Reports. Applicable for filing years 2023 through 2021.  

    Revised 11/1/2022
     

    Download
  •  

    How to Properly Disclose Lobbying Activities Information

    Please reference this document PRIOR to disclosing Lobbying Activities in the Lobbyist Statement of Registration, Lobbyist/Public Corporation Bi-Monthly Report, Disbursement of Public Monies Bi-Monthly Report, and the Client Semi-Annual Report.  Applicable for the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 Biennial.

    Revised 11/28/2022
     

    Download
  •  

    Client Semi-Annual Filing Instructions

    The purpose of this document is to provide Filers with further clarification of the information required to be disclosed in Client Semi-Annual Reports and Client Semi-Annual Report Amendments.

    Revised September 2023

     
     

    Download

Lobbying Agreement Forms and Sample Letters

  •  

    Designation Sample Letter

    This sample letter allows a chief administrative officer of an organization to designate another individual to make and sign statement(s) and/or report(s). A "Designation Letter" is not necessary for filers utilizing the online filing system.

    Please Note - The chief administrative officer may designate another to sign and file the reports, but this designation does not relieve the chief administrative officer of liability due to a failure to file, late filing or false filing of any report(s).

     

    Revised 10/31/2022
     

    Download

PDF Forms for Paper Filers

  •  

    Reportable Business Relationship Questionnaire

    This is for use by a Lobbyist or Client Organization to send to its equity partners, officers, directors or High-Level Individuals, as applicable, to determine whether such persons have Reportable Business Relationships that must be disclosed by the Lobbyist or Client Organization. 

     

    Revised 11/4/2022
     

    Download
  •  

    Source of Funding Summary Statement Form

    This form may be used by Beneficial Clients that are Paper (PDF) Filers. All Beneficial Clients are required to complete this PDF form or submit this statement in the online Lobbying Application.  Completed PDF forms must be mailed to the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying.  Beneficial Clients required to disclose information on Sources must complete and mail this form AND e-mail the pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet to [email protected].

    Mail completed forms to:

    NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government

    540 Broadway

    Albany, New York 12207

     

    Revised 11/1/2022
     

    Download
  •  

    BLANK Pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet for Source of Funding Disclosure

    Please use this pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet to disclose information on Sources for Source of Funding.  PAPER Filers who meet the Expenditure Threshold and are required to disclose Source of Funding information MUST utilize the pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet.  The completed, original spreadsheet must be emailed to Commission staff at [email protected]; and should include your contact information and the name of the Beneficial Client to avoid filing delays.

    ONLINE FILERS who meet the Expenditure Threshold and are required to disclose Source of Funding (“SoF”) information must either: utilize the Commission's online Lobbying Application (“LA”) to data-enter each Source individually; or complete and upload the pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet provided by the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying. 

    Refer to the 'Instructions for Completing the Pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet to Disclose Source of Funding Information' prior to completing the blank spreadsheet.

    Please note - this spreadsheet will not immediately appear on your screen; it will be automatically download and appear in your 'downloads' folder, or at the bottom of your screen. 
     

    Download

Contact Lobbying Filings Specialist

For technical assistance, or help with Registrations, Lobbyist Bi-Monthly reports, Client Semi-Annual reports, and other lobbying-related disclosure forms, the Lobbying line is available from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, by contacting the main Commission phone number.

 

Contact us by phone:

Hotline - Press '1' to speak to the Lobbying Unit 800-87-Ethics (800-873-8442)

Contact us by email:

Mailing Address:

New York State 

Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government

540 Broadway

Albany, New York 12207