Lobbyists contract out reporting obligations

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Congressional efforts to rein in lobbyists are helping to create a cottage industry in Washington: businesses that help them comply with a raft of new regulations.

As the required reports to Congress on lobbying activities become more complex, lobbyists are contracting out more of their report preparation to outside firms.

At least two of them have started operating in Washington since the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 imposed more recordkeeping on lobbyists, beginning Jan. 1.

"It's similar to why you would go to a tax counselor to prepare your IRS forms," said Roseanna Haley, owner of Capitol Filings, a lobbying form-preparation service that opened March 24 at 101 Constitution Ave. NW. "It's an administrative burden."

Until this year, lobbyists were required to file to the House and Senate semiannual reports that described how much they are paid, their clients and the issues on which they lobbied.

As of Jan. 1, lobbyists are required to file six reports per year and list more information about their clients.

Four of the reports must be filed quarterly to report lobbying activities. Two additional reports must be filed semi-annually to report their donations to political campaigns, charities controlled by members of Congress and political action committees.

Lobbyists must file one report for each client, which can reach into the hundreds for some firms.

Support firms say they typically charge half as much as law firms that prepare quarterly reports. Prices from the support firms can range from as little as about $100 to several thousand dollars, depending on the complexity of the report.

The lobbying firm where Mrs. Haley worked previously has "upward of 280 clients, so each quarter more than 280 of these reports have to be filed," she said.