I had to regulate sponsored trips from lobbyists, because it would have been completely inconsistent of me to say that a gift of over $40 could create a sense of obligation, but not a trip worth several thousand dollars. I therefore introduced a rule that prohibits a registered lobbyist from lobbying anyone to whom they have offered sponsored travel. In other words, an organization listed in the registry cannot offer a gift to a public office holder they are lobbying, or intending to lobby.
Of the 28 organizations and companies that provided sponsored travel last year, only six are in the registry. That means many organizations and corporations will be able to continue to offer sponsored trips without the need for me to intervene.
However, the organizations and corporations whose names are in the registry of lobbyists and who want to provide sponsored travel will be able to continue to do so, and it will be possible for you to continue to accept it. The only requirement is that they contact our office, because there has to be a gap between when the travel occurs and when the lobbying occurs afterwards, to ensure that you do not have a sense of obligation towards them. That's because if you've received a trip worth several thousand dollars from an organization or a corporation, you are probably more likely to answer the phone when they call.