Any person, who in the course of his job or for compensation, attempts to influence legislative action is required to register as a lobbyist with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Because the law is so sweeping, nearly 2,000 people register as lobbyists. Yet, some of these people may never appear in legislative hallways. In fact, some may never talk with a legislator or even visit Missouri.
Types of Lobbyists
Those who have registered as lobbyists include:
Company employees who lobby as part of their job for the corporation.
Company executives who never actually lobby legislators, but register as lobbyists because they make corporate decisions that involve attempts to affect legislative action.
Staff of professional and trade organizations.
Lawyers who lobby legislators as part, but not necessarily all or even a majority, of the work they do for their clients. These type of lobbyists can have very long lists of clients for whom they are lobbying.
Professional lobbyists who, for a fee, represent clients. Like lawyers, professional lobbyists can have very long lists of clients. Some of these professional lobbyists are former government officials and ex-legislators.
Government agency officials who, as part of their jobs, attempt to influence legislative action. Note, elected state officials are NOT required to register.
What Lobbyists Do
Lobbyists undertake a wide range tasks on behalf of their clients, including:
Testify at committee hearings. This where lobbyists are the most visible, but probably is the least effective of what lobbyists do.
Privately discuss with legislators their clients' concerns, requests and interests. Many lobbyists say this is their most important activity -- simply serving as an information conduit for their clients to legislators.
Respond to legislative inquiries for information and, sometimes, requests by legislators for favors from a client.
Draft amendments and entire bills for legislators to sponsor. Quite a few bills sponsored by legislators actually were written by lobbyists.
Report back to their clients about legislative developments that affect the clients.
Advise clients as to where campaign contributions should be targeted -- who's been a supporter of a client's position and who has not.
Count votes to be able to advise a client as to what realistically can and cannot be accomplished in the legislature.
Build IOUs with legislators by assisting individual legislators on efforts that may have nothing to do with the lobbyist's clients. By providing uncompensated assistance to legislators, a lobbyist can build rapport and support from legislators that can be used later on behalf of the lobbyist's clients.
Work with other lobbyists to develop a consolidated lobbying effort on behalf of a particular industry or group of industries.
Participate directly in legislative negotiations over different versions of a bill.
Wine and dine legislators. Give them gifts. Organize company-sponsor trips for legislators. On any given evening during a legislative session, it's difficult to find a restaurant in Jefferson City where you can escape lobbyists feeding legislators (unless, maybe, it's a very inexpensive restaurant).
