Bill > SB528

This bill prohibits lobbyists from receiving compensation for conducting lobbying activities on behalf of specific foreign adversaries, which are comprehensively defined to include governments like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria, as well as their agencies, subsidiaries, and related entities. The bill provides detailed definitions for terms such as "foreign adversary," "control," and "foreign political party," and specifies that a lobbyist cannot accept direct or indirect compensation from a foreign adversary, its political party, or its clients. If a lobbyist violates this prohibition, they can be subject to legal action by the Attorney General, including potential disgorgement of compensation and civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. The Attorney General is granted the power to issue civil investigative demands and seek injunctive relief to enforce the law. The bill defines a wide range of entities and individuals as potential "foreign adversary clients," including current and former government officials, political party representatives, executives, and their immediate family members. The legislation will take effect on January 1, 2027, and is part of an effort to prevent lobbying activities that might compromise national interests by restricting financial interactions between lobbyists and potentially adversarial foreign entities.

Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1311&inflect=2