The Board of Supervisors postponed action Tuesday on proposed changes to a county lobbyist registration law that would exempt most nonprofit groups, including the influential Orange County Business Council.
The board has been wrestling with ways to exclude nonprofits from registering as lobbyists. It will take up the issue again at its April 19 meeting.
Business Council President and CEO Lucy Dunn said this week that the law is so difficult to understand, she’s probably going to register as a lobbyist even if she doesn’t have to.
Orange County is one of the last large government agencies in California to adopt a lobbyist registration requirement. San Diego County, for example, adopted its ordinance in 1999. Nonprofits aren’t exempt from registering in San Diego County.
That ordinance requires registration of any “individual who, on behalf of any corporation, firm, organization or individual other than himself attempts to influence any County decision by contacting, personally or by telephone” any member of the board of supervisors or about 20 other county officials or members of board and commissions.