Are you required to register as a lobbyist?
(Updated March 2018)
If you or your nonprofit works to impact public policy in the City of Corpus Christi, you may be required to register as a lobbyist. The general rule is that a person (including corporations or associations) is engaged in lobbying if he or she communicates with a city official directly or indirectly, in writing or orally (including electronic communications), in an effort to persuade that official to favor or oppose, recommend or not recommend, vote for or against, or take or refrain from taking action on a municipal question. Any person who engages in a lobbying activity, with respect to any client, and receives compensation for that activity must register as a lobbyist with the City Secretary. This means that if a nonprofit organization is paid to lobby a city official, it must register as a lobbyist. Also, any employees who are paid by the nonprofit specifically1 to lobby on its behalf should register as well. However, if a person’s only lobbying activity is to encourage its organization’s members to lobby city officials, then no lobbyist registration is required.