Picture still murky after gift reform

Despite lobbyist gift-giving reform that passed earlier this year, lobbyists are still managing to keep secret the names of state lawmakers who receive about four-fifths of the freebie meals, sports tickets and other gifts they bestow.

That actually is an improvement — even though it is obviously far from the full transparency that some advocate, according to a Deseret News analysis of disclosure forms filed so far this year. (The third-quarter forms were due Tuesday.)

Before the new reform law took effect on May 12, lobbyists attached lawmakers' names to only about 5 percent of their gift giving. After the law took effect, names have been attached to about 20 percent.

The current lobbying gift law requires disclosing the name of a lawmaker if a lobbyist gives them (or their family members) a meal worth more than $25, a gift worth more than $10 or any sports, arts or recreational ticket. The old law required disclosing names for intangible gifts worth more than $50.

But as an example of loopholes in the new law, if a meal is offered to all legislators, or to one house, or one party caucus, or one committee, then no matter how many legislators actually eat the meal (it may be just one), the accepting legislators' names need not be listed.

So, for example, forms show five lobbyists joined together to spend at least $1,966 for a "state dinner" for an unknown number of legislators attending a National Council of State Legislators conference in Atlanta without needing to disclose any names.

Rey Butcher, a lobbyist for Questar, did not need to disclose any specific names when he listed a "social event with 41 officials" costing $809, or another "social event with 27 officials" costing $458, among several other similar events.

Before the new law took effect, lobbyists reported giving legislators about $93,000 in freebies this year, and disclosed by name who received about $4,500 of it, about 5 percent. The Legislature was in session during that time, which is when most gift giving usually occurs, with little occurring the rest of the year.

After May 12 (through forms filed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday), lobbyists disclosed giving about $17,100 through the end of last month and named specifically who received about $3,460, about 20 percent of the total.

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell, then in the Legislature, sponsored the lobbyist gift reform bill in the 2009 session.