Arkansas lobbyist registration, in plain English

This page summarizes public rules for general information. It is not legal advice. Whether a person is a lobbyist is a factual question the Arkansas Ethics Commission decides, so check the current rules or ask the Commission or a lawyer about your situation.

Arkansas lobbying disclosure rests on two layers: the statute, in Arkansas Code title 21, chapter 8, subchapter 6, and the Arkansas Ethics Commission's rules, published in the Code of Arkansas Rules at 21 CAR part 3. The Secretary of State receives the filings for state-level lobbying. This page follows the Commission's rules, which repeat the statute's deadlines.

Who has to register

A person who does lobbying activity counts as a lobbyist, and has to register and report, if in a calendar quarter they:

• receive income or reimbursement totaling $400 or more for lobbying activities;
• spend $400 or more on lobbying activities, not counting their own travel, lodging, meals or dues; or
• spend $400 or more, postage included, asking others to contact public servants to influence legislative or administrative action. This grassroots test does not apply when the communication is filed with the Secretary of State or published in the news media.

The rules list exceptions in 21 CAR § 3-105. Under the statute, they include the news media in the ordinary course of business, testifying at a public hearing or at a committee's request, drafting legislation, and a public servant acting in an official capacity, within limits.

Deadlines

Register

No later than 5 days after beginning lobbying.

Reregister

By January 15 of each year. A registration is valid only for the calendar year it is filed in.

Amend a registration

Within 10 days of a change.

Amend during session

Within 3 business days, for a lobbyist registered to lobby members of the General Assembly, when the change happens during a regular or extraordinary session.

Quarterly activity report

Within 15 days after the end of each calendar quarter.

Monthly report in session

Lobbyists of the state Legislature also file a monthly report within 10 days after the end of each month the General Assembly is in session. Filing all three monthly reports in a quarter replaces that quarter's report.

The registration and amendment deadlines come from 21 CAR §§ 3-103 and 3-104. The reporting schedule is summarized from the statute by the Alliance for Justice guide listed below.

Where to file

• State government, including the Legislature: the Secretary of State.
• A city: the city clerk or recorder.
• A county, or a body not covered above: the county clerk.
• A district covering parts of more than one county: the Secretary of State and the county clerk where you live or have your main place of business.

State-level filings are electronic. The Secretary of State's ethics disclosures portal handles registration, report filing and a public search of lobbyists and their clients. The financial disclosure page has the forms, a lobbyist reporting training guide, and a search of archived reports. The Alliance for Justice guide notes that registration forms and local periodic reports need to be notarized.

What the registration form asks

• Your name, address and telephone number.
• The calendar year you are registering for.
• The types of public servants you will lobby.
• The name, address and telephone number of each client or employer, and what type of business or entity it is.
• Your certification that the information is true and correct.

An organization whose own members or employees lobby only for it may register as a firm. The firm and each lobbyist listed on its form then share responsibility for compliance.

Penalties

A person who acts as a lobbyist but does not register within five days may be fined by the Ethics Commission from $50 to $3,500 and may receive a public letter of caution, warning or reprimand. A purposeful failure to register carries a fine of $500 to $1,000. The same ranges apply to false or missing information on the registration form (21 CAR § 3-108).

Questions

How long do I have to register as a lobbyist in Arkansas?

Five days after you begin lobbying. Then you reregister by January 15 of each year you keep lobbying.

What is the dollar threshold to be a lobbyist in Arkansas?

$400 or more in a calendar quarter, either received for lobbying, spent on lobbying, or spent asking others to contact public servants.

Where do I register to lobby the Arkansas Legislature?

With the Arkansas Secretary of State, through its ethics disclosures portal. Lobbyists of cities and counties register with the city or county clerk.

What changes during a legislative session?

Two things. Changes to your registration must be filed within three business days instead of ten, and you file a monthly activity report within ten days after each month the General Assembly is in session.

Can I look up who is registered to lobby?

Yes. The Secretary of State's ethics disclosures portal has a public search by lobbyist, firm, or client and employer, and archived reports are searchable on the Secretary of State's financial disclosure page.

Is there a registration fee?

The rules cited here do not set one. Check the Secretary of State's portal for any current fee before you file.