49-1480.

Lobbyist; registration; application; contents; Chinese military company; disclosure, required; civil penalty.

(1) Every person employed, retained, or authorized as a lobbyist shall, before commencing any lobbying activity:

(a) File an application with the Clerk of the Legislature for registration as a lobbyist, and if the clerk is satisfied that the application has been properly prepared the registration shall be deemed to be complete. The application shall be on a form prescribed by the clerk and approved by the Executive Board of the Legislative Council, and shall include as a minimum the following:

(i) The name, permanent residence address, and office address of the lobbyist;

(ii) The name and address of the principal of such lobbyist;

(iii) The nature of the business of such principal and the amounts or sums given or to be given the lobbyist as compensation or reimbursement for lobbying. A lobbyist who is salaried or retained by a principal need only report that portion of compensation or reimbursement reasonably attributable to lobbying;

(iv) A description of the business activity of the lobbyist;

(v) An identification of the matters on which the principal or lobbyist expects to lobby;

(vi) If the principal is a Chinese military company, an affirmative acknowledgment by the lobbyist that such lobbyist is lobbying on behalf of, and thereby acting as an agent of, a foreign adversary of the United States;

(vii) If the principal is an industry, trade, or professional association, a specific description of the industry, trade, or profession represented by the principal and the names and addresses of its officers;

(viii) If the principal is not an industry, trade, or professional association, a specific description of the interests and groups represented by the principal and the names and addresses of its officers; and

(ix) The name and address of any official in the legislative or executive branch, and of any members of any such official's staff or immediate family, who are employed by the lobbyist or any person acting on behalf of such lobbyist if such information is known or reasonably should have been known to the lobbyist.

(b) If any such lobbying activity is on behalf of a Chinese military company, disclose that such Chinese military company is a foreign adversary of the United States. For purposes of this subdivision (b), lobbying activity includes, but is not limited to, lobbying by means of telephone, electronic mail, United States mail or other mail delivery service, in-person meetings, or testimony at legislative hearings.

(2) Any person who violates subdivision (1)(a)(vi) or (1)(b) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of one hundred thousand dollars for each violation. For any subsequent violation, the civil penalty shall be increased by one hundred thousand dollars more than the previously assessed penalty, not to exceed one million dollars per violation. All penalties collected under this section shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for distribution in accordance with Article VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska.

(3) For purposes of this section, Chinese military company has the same meaning as in section 49-1492.02.