cleanslateFor those who have placed lobbying registration at the top of their New Year’s resolution list, New York State and New York City have made it easier to take the plunge. Starting on January 1, lobbyists and organizations that employ or retain lobbyists that have failed to register with either the state and/or city may register and file back reports without facing penalty.

New York State: This amnesty program, conducted by New York’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), runs from January 1 to June 30, 2016. Entities or individuals that have previously been contacted by regulators for failure to comply with New York’s lobbying laws do not qualify. The amnesty program permits those who have never submitted required filings to apply. The amnesty covers any unregistered lobbying that has taken place since December 10, 2006.

To participate in the program, applicants must submit a form found on the JCOPE website. They must also submit (1) all registration statements and periodic reports for lobbying activity occurring between January 1, 2013 and the date of application for amnesty, and (2) applicable fees for those “old” filings. In addition, applicants must comply with a training component.

New York City: The New York City Clerk’s office has established a similar program for lobbyists and companies that should have filed a statement of registration or client annual report under NYC’s lobbying rules. NYC’s program also runs from January 1 to June 30, 2016 and covers unreported lobbying conducted from December 10, 2006 to the present.