Lobbying before water management districts; registration and reporting.

(1) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “District” means a water management district created in s. 373.069 and operating under the authority of chapter 373.

(b) “Lobbies” means seeking, on behalf of another person, to influence a district with respect to a decision of the district in an area of policy or procurement or an attempt to obtain the goodwill of a district official or employee. The term “lobbies” shall be interpreted and applied consistently with the rules of the commission implementing s. 112.3215.

(c) “Lobbyist” has the same meaning as provided in s. 112.3215.

(d) “Principal” has the same meaning as provided in s. 112.3215.

(2) A person may not lobby a district until such person has registered as a lobbyist with that district. Such registration shall be due upon initially being retained to lobby and is renewable on a calendar-year basis thereafter. Upon registration, the person shall provide a statement signed by the principal or principal’s representative stating that the registrant is authorized to represent the principal. The principal shall also identify and designate its main business on the statement authorizing that lobbyist pursuant to a classification system approved by the district. Any changes to the information required by this section must be disclosed within 15 days by filing a new registration form. The registration form shall require each lobbyist to disclose, under oath, the following:

(a) The lobbyist’s name and business address.

(b) The name and business address of each principal represented.

(c) The existence of any direct or indirect business association, partnership, or financial relationship with any officer or employee of a district with which he or she lobbies or intends to lobby.

(d) In lieu of creating its own lobbyist registration forms, a district may accept a completed legislative branch or executive branch lobbyist registration form.

(3) A district shall make lobbyist registrations available to the public. If a district maintains a website, a database of currently registered lobbyists and principals must be available on the district’s website.

(4) A lobbyist shall promptly send a written statement to the district canceling the registration for a principal upon termination of the lobbyist’s representation of that principal. A district may remove the name of a lobbyist from the list of registered lobbyists if the principal notifies the district that a person is no longer authorized to represent that principal.

(5) A district may establish an annual lobbyist registration fee, not to exceed $40, for each principal represented. The district may use registration fees only to administer this section.

(6) A district shall be diligent to ascertain whether persons required to register pursuant to this section have complied. A district may not knowingly authorize a person who is not registered pursuant to this section to lobby the district.

(7) Upon receipt of a sworn complaint alleging that a lobbyist or principal has failed to register with a district or has knowingly submitted false information in a report or registration required under this section, the commission shall investigate a lobbyist or principal pursuant to the procedures established under s. 112.324. The commission shall provide the Governor with a report of its findings and recommendations in any investigation conducted pursuant to this subsection. The Governor is authorized to enforce the commission’s findings and recommendations.

(8) Water management districts may adopt rules to establish procedures to govern the registration of lobbyists, including the adoption of forms and the establishment of a lobbyist registration fee.