House Bill 161

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 48 to prohibit all federal, state, and local tax dollars from being used for lobbying purposes; define "lobbying," "public agency," and "public agent"; create a new section of KRS 6.601 to 6.849 to permit a person to file a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission if a person or entity is using federal, state, or local dollars for lobbying purposes; amend KRS 6.611 to include in the definition of "legislative agent" any public agent who lobbies for a public agency; amend KRS 6.691 to allow the Legislative Ethics Commission to issue a fine of no less than $2,000 but no more than $10,000 to any public agency or public agency that uses federal, state, or local dollars for lobbying purposes; amend KRS 6.945 to exempt these lobbying restrictions from the requirements of KRS 6.945.