Legislative Ethics Newsletter, Sept 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 1:45 pm

In the first four months of this year, lobbyists and their employers spent more money lobbying in the 2012 General Assembly session than in any legislative session in Kentucky history.

Businesses and organizations are on track to set a new lobbying spending record in Kentucky.  In the first eight months of 2012, over $13.2 million was spent on lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly.  With several months left in the year, lobbying spending will likely eclipse the $16.9 million spending record set in 2008.

 Employers and lobbyists spent about $4.4 million in the most recent reporting period.  The top spending employers for that four-month period are: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce ($95,906); Altria Client Services ($90,967); Kentucky Medical Association ($57,271); CSX Corporation ($47,416); Houchens Industries ($44,000); EQT Corporation ($40,160); AmeriHealth Mercy ($40,134); Hewlett-Packard Co. ($40,000); Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation ($39,780); Kentucky Justice Association ($36,341); Peabody Energy ($36,134); Churchill Downs ($35,160); Kentucky School Boards Insurance Trust ($33,333); Humana ($32,132); Amgen ($30,976); Citigroup Management ($30,134); and National Tobacco Co. ($30,000).

In the first four months of this year, lobbyists and their employers spent more money lobbying in the 2012 General Assembly session than in any legislative session in Kentucky history.  Session spending of $8.8 million included over $7.5 million for compensation paid to lobbyists by the businesses and organizations which employ them.
 
 There are 630 employers and 586 lobbyists registered with the Legislative Ethics Commission.  A listing of registered employers, lobbyists, and lobbying spending is available at the “View Reports” link on the Ethics Commission’s website: http://klec.ky.gov/reports/