Looking out for business... A report from the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce - The Voice of Alaska Business. (Advertisement).

The laws and regulations enacted by Alaska's public policy makers have significant impact on how businesses operate in Alaska and what their costs of operation will be.

It is not uncommon for business people to travel to Juneau for a few days during the legislative session to talk with legislators or administration officials about issues affecting their business. Nor is it uncommon for them to accompany administration officials or legislators on trade missions, or talk to them at conferences and other events.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) has determined that these activities, which may be a very small part of what an individual does for his business or company, make a businessperson a lobbyist.

Alaska law requires that anyone for whom a substantial or regular portion of their job is to influence legislation or administrative action, or anyone who contracts or is in the profession of lobbying, must register as a lobbyist. The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce recognizes the importance of regulating lobbying so the public knows the identity, income, expenditures and activities of professional lobbyists, and the Chamber has no problem with the current law.

However, in the regulations APOC has defined "substantial or regular" as just four hours in a 30-day period. The State Chamber believes this unjustly restricts business people who are not paid as lobbyists from talking freely with the government. The State Chamber has requested that the legislature develop a new definition that, while continuing to regulate professional paid lobbyists, will not restrict business people who are not in the business of Lobbying and for whom lobbying is riot part of their job.

If a businessperson exceeds the [our-hour limit, they must pay a 100 fee to register and then file monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, and there are stiff penalties associated with .he reporting requirements. The businessperson must also disclose the source and amount of their income. They are also precluded from engaging in many political activities, such as active participation in political campaigns and contributing to the candidates of their choice, which is a restriction of their first amendment rights.

This is an important issue to business and particularly troublesome for small businesses who can't afford paid lobbyists. It leaves them the choice of hiring someone to speak on their behalf or giving up some of their constitutional tights.

The media and state or municipal employees, by the way, are exempt from the law. News editors and columnists can write unlimited opinion pieces, with the intent of influencing legislative or administrative action, and not have to register or lose any personal rights. Public officials or employees can lobby unlimited hours, day in and day out, for laws and regulations that increase the cost of government, for which business pays, or increase the cost of doing business.

House Bill 106, which has the support of the State Chamber, defines "substantial" as 40 hours in a 30-day period, (one-quarter of a full-time employee's 160 hours a month) and "regular" as 30 days, or one quarter, of a 120-day legislative session.

The State Chamber believes our state will benefit by providing business owners greater access to state government, not by further limiting their access.

ConocoPhillips 

Proud to be the 2003 Diamond Partner of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce