Committee forwards lobbying reform package after debate over six-month cooling-off period and coverage of mayoral appointees

The Community Planning and Housing Committee advanced a package of updates to Denver's lobbying ordinance that would expand disclosure rules, require lobbyists to identify clients and report compensation by client per period, and create an enforcement path to refer serious violations to a hearing officer.

Andy Securis, Chief Deputy City Clerk, told the committee the intent is to "increase transparency in local decision making" by clarifying who is being lobbied, by whom and on what measures, and by providing consistent enforcement. "The goal is to increase transparency in local decision making, provide clear and relevant information to the public and lobbying community," he said.

The proposal would require lobbyists to identify compensation by client and to disclose when they contact covered officials or their offices. Staff said the draft defines covered officials to include the mayor's cabinet and certain appointed policy-making positions; the draft treats communications with an aide as communications with the office, rather than logging each aide individually, to avoid excessive administrative burden.

Sponsors reported they are "landing" on a six-month cooling-off period for certain officials but said some council members prefer longer periods. "We'd like to move forward with 6 months," one sponsor said, noting that several council members favored that timeframe to align with an ethics probationary period. Several council members pressed for longer cooling-off rules for high-level officials and for a clearer way to include agency heads created by executive order.

Lori from the Board of Ethics (introduced by staff) urged consistency between any ordinance cooling-off period and notice provided in the ethics code, advising that longer restrictions should be made explicit to employees while they are in service.

Members requested follow-up with Human Resources to clarify classifications (career service, at-will appointees, mayoral cabinet) and to determine which titles should be covered by cooling-off rules. Sponsors said they will return with refined language after consulting HR and ethics staff.

Next steps: sponsors will take comments and return to the committee with clarified language on scope and cooling-off duration; the ordinance package was forwarded to the City Council for consideration.