TRANSPARENCY REGISTER AND EP LONG TERM PASS

 

Although registration in the EU Transparency Register does not confer an automatic right to a long term pass to enter the premises of the European Parliament, it is nevertheless clearly stated that obtaining a long term pass presupposes prior registration in the Register.

In the United States a clear difference exists between registration and wearing a badge.

Regulations regarding badges for lobbyists fall into several categories: requiring lobbyists to wear badges that identify themselves as lobbyists; encouraging, but not requiring lobbyists to wear an identification badge; having no provisions but offer guidelines, or  having no provisions. 

Fourteen states require lobbyists to wear badges.  They are: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Badges usually are issued by the state ethics commission, secretary of state, election commission or another state agency.

In four states, badges are available, but not required: Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia. If a lobbyist chooses to wear a badge in Mississippi, it must contain a photo of the lobbyist and badges are provided by a private designated vendor. 

Illinois and Idaho encourage lobbyists to wear a badge, but it is not required. In Pennsylvania, wearing a badge allows lobbyists to bypass capitol security screening. In New Hampshire, lobbyists are required to wear a badge, but they must produce their own.  In North Dakota, the secretary of state issues an official badge, but lobbyists may make a "reasonable reproduction" of the badge.

At least five other states require badges to include the photo of the lobbyist: Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania approach is interesting since registration as well as wearing a badge allows lobbyists to bypass security screening. May be that's something that could be implemented at the European Parliament level. What do you think???

  

 

 

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