Lobbyists file reports covering 2024 West Virginia legislative session expenses
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CHARLESTON -- Lobbying expenses on lawmakers during the West Virginia Legislature's 2024 regular session earlier this year were on par with expenses during the same time period last year, while one county government and one public university filed contracts for lobbying services by a July 1 deadline.
Registered lobbyists in West Virginia were required to submit activity reports by May 15 covering activities between Jan. 1 and April 30 to the West Virginia Ethics Commission.
According to the Ethic's Commission's lobbying activity report for the four-month period, approximately $350,802 was spent by 106 registered lobbyists during the reporting period that coincides with the 60-day session that began Jan. 10 and ended March 9. It also coincided with the primary election period that ended on May 14.
That's down slightly from the approximate $364,586 that was spent by 109 lobbyists during the four-month period between January 2023 and May 15, 2023.
State Code requires expenditures made by lobbyists or their employers on government officials in order to further their lobbying to be reported every May 16, Sept. 15, and Jan. 15.
The West Virginia Coal Association was the biggest spender during the reporting period, with the West Virginia Municipal League, lobbyists Gil White and Phil Reale, and the West Virginia AFL-CIO rounding out the top five lobbyists for expenditures.
WVCA President Chris Hamilton reported spending $19,070. Of that, $18,506 was spent on group expenditures. These expenditures include a sponsorship of the West Virginia Republican Legislative Committee event at the Shriners Temple in Charleston on Jan. 8, as well as several Legislative Coal Caucus dinners, luncheons, and a reception. Hamilton also took several lawmakers out for dinners at Charleston restaurants during the session.
The West Virginia Municipal League was the second biggest spender with $18,728, with a Feb. 12 legislative reception at the Embassy Suites in Charleston at a cost of $15,142. The Municipal League also put on a legislative lunch on Jan. 9 and the organization's headquarters at a cost of $3,586.
White spent $15,839 during the reporting period, including $4,788 on meals and beverages between February and April on lawmakers on behalf of clients Steptoe and Johnson, Encova Insurance, and CityNet. He also reported spending $11,050 on campaign contributions.
Reale spent $13,327 during the period, including $9,177 on meals and beverages for lawmakers on behalf of the Beer Wholesalers Association and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. He also spent $7,465 on a Feb. 13 legislative reception at the West Virginia Culture Center sponsored by the Beer Wholesalers Association.
West Virginia AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Walter spent $11,535 during the period, including $5,492 on group expenditures and $6,043 on meals and beverages. Most of the AFL-CIO's expenditures were on labor caucus luncheons for lawmakers.
The Wetzel County Assessor's Office and West Virginia University also spent taxpayer dollars on lobbying efforts at the West Virginia Legislature. According to the lobbying services contracts filed with the Ethics Commission, two contracts were received by the Ethics Commission on July 8 covering the period between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
State Code requires every state agency, city, county and school district that contracts with individuals or companies for lobbying services to file an annual report with the Ethics Commission on or after July 1 of each year. The law includes no deadlines to file the reports and has no enforcement mechanisms.
According to its July 8 report, the Wetzel County Assessor's Office signed a contract with Conrad Lucas of Golden Horseshoe Strategies/Capitol Resources, and Hallie Mason Consulting beginning July 1, 2023, through Dec. 31. The contract is for a monthly retainer of $5,000 for a minimal one-year cost of $60,000, plus a $25,000 flat fee for Hallie Mason Consulting.
According to the legal ad placed by the Wetzel County Assessor's Office, the office was seeking lobbying services at the Legislature on issues involving natural gas assessment issues, a possible constitutional amendment on elimination tangible personal property taxes on inventory, expanding eligibility for tax classification two on real estate parcels, and increasing the Homestead Exemption.
According to its July 8 report, West Virginia University has a $5,000 month-to-month contract with Danielle Waltz, an attorney with the Dinsmore and Shohl law firm in Charleston, for legal and government relations assistance not including reimbursement for expenses. Waltz was previously contracted though Jackson Kelly in 2023.
Only six government lobbying contracts were turned in by the July 1, 2023, deadline last year, including WVU, the Wetzel County Assessor's Office, the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority, Marshall University, the Wood County Commission, and the Berkeley County Commission.
The reporting requirement doesn't apply for organizations representing multiple county and local governments, such as the West Virginia Association of Counties and the West Virginia Municipal League
Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com