HB 5506
Prohibiting Compensation for Lobbying on Behalf of a Foreign Adversary.
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- Passed House of Delegates
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill prohibits lobbyists from receiving compensation for advocating on behalf of designated foreign adversaries, including governments and entities like the Chinese Communist Party, Russian government, and Hamas. It establishes a list of prohibited foreign adversaries maintained by the Secretary of Homeland Security and outlines penalties for violations, such as disgorgement of payments and civil fines. The bill also requires lobbyists to publicly identify themselves as representing a foreign adversary.
Key provisions
- Prohibits lobbyists from receiving compensation for lobbying on behalf of designated foreign adversaries.
- Establishes a list of prohibited foreign adversaries maintained by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
- Allows the Attorney General to seek disgorgement of payments and civil penalties for violations.
- Grants the Attorney General investigative powers to determine potential violations.
- Requires lobbyists to publicly announce their representation of a foreign adversary.
- Defines key terms such as ‘foreign adversary,’ ‘lobbyist,’ and ‘lobbying activity.’
- Specifies that Taiwan is not considered a foreign adversary.
- Outlines a process for determining if a company is ‘owned or operated in whole or in part’ by a foreign adversary.
Who is affected
- Lobbyists
- Government officials and employees
- Foreign governments and entities
- Businesses and organizations associated with foreign adversaries
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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