Lawmakers’ lobbyist-funded largesse comes to a halt at Nevada Legislature

The days of wine and roses, when lobbyists courted Nevada legislators with lavish meals and gifts, have ended.

Under a bill sponsored in 2015 by Sen. Michael Roberson, legislators can no longer accept anything from a lobbyist. Even a cup of coffee or a bottle of water.

Another major change: The ban on gifts from lobbyists is year-round, not just during a session. Legislators can no longer strong-arm lobbyists into paying for expensive meals before or after reporting requirements kick in.

Believe me, that happened.

And at long last, freebie trips that lawmakers take now must be reported. Previously, lawmakers took trips to the Bahamas and London paid for by PokerStars, but no reporting was required. Those trips were exposed by the press.

Roberson, R-Henderson, was majority leader two years ago and the sole sponsor of Senate Bill 307. The bill has two major parts. First, it bans all gifts from registered lobbyists. Second, legislators and public officials such as city council members and county commissioners must disclose travel and anything valued at more than $200 received from one source during a year. And candidates are now included in the gift reporting requirements.

When the bill was introduced, Roberson said it was “long overdue” and meant to “promote more openness, transparency and clarity in Nevada’s reporting requirements.”

Not one legislator voted against it, but I suspect a number of them had no idea they were voting for a ban that would prevent a lobbyist from buying them dinner at Adele’s in Carson City or handing them fight and concert tickets.

The complexity of Roberson’s 20-page bill was made obvious by the 144-page guide published Jan. 11 by the legal division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

One sample situation: If a legislator dates a lobbyist — and they do — they have to go Dutch.

Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, whose office accepts the legislators’ reports, said, “We’re not getting a lot of pushback, but they’re really confused. One legislator asked if I’d put a bill in to change it, but I said no.”

Some legislators thought the law was overreaching. Cegavske’s own report lists trips, but it also lists every meal she accepted when she gave a speech. Her report is long.

My first legislative session as a reporter was in 1987, and I swear there were legislators who would have starved if lobbyists didn’t take them out to eat. It was disgraceful.

Perhaps no one except Roberson knew the full extent of his bill.

I’m delighted Roberson achieved better reporting and standardized language between lobbying laws and public officials’ financial disclosures. It made other valuable and positive changes so the public can see who is wooing and who is being wooed.

One of the problems the Ethics Commission faced over the years was that the Legislature never defined “gifts.”

Now we know what a lobbyist’s gift is. Roberson took care of that.

Sometimes it’s just a cup of coffee.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column runs Thursdays. Leave messages for her at 702-383-0275 or email jmorrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @janeannmorrison on Twitter.