Nothing is due immediately until the July Report on August 15, unless there is activity related to indirect lobbying. Indirect lobbying expenditures are required to be reported within 48 hours, regardless of the filing calendar.

The first monthly report, due August 15, should include all activity from May and June. There will not be separate reports for May or June – those months should be included in your July report.

All lobbyists, executive-only lobbyists, and state entity filers are required to report monthly after July 1, 2025. Registered state entities will now report policy issues and bills, in addition to their current expenditure reports.

There are no annual reports required for 2025 and beyond. If you have already filed an annual report, there is no further action needed to delete or amend that report. It will be retained in your portal and public record.

All lobbyists, regardless of activity, are required to report monthly. We are incorporating a streamlined way to quickly file a “no activity” report for those with no activity throughout the reporting period. Stay tuned for updates.

The definition and requirements for indirect lobbying are outlined in I.C. § 74-702(6) and § 74-705(4). These efforts—such as billboards, mass texts, door-to-door campaigns, or digital ads—are designed to encourage constituents to influence their legislators. While indirect lobbying expenditures over $100 may resemble campaign efforts, they aim to sway public officials in their official capacity, not their candidacy. Going forward, similar to certain campaign finance disclosures, indirect lobbying expenditures over $100 must be reported within 48 hours.

There have been lots of questions about how indirect lobbying will be interpreted. It’s important to note that the law still operates within the traditional lobbying framework. For an activity to be reportable, it must:

• Be conducted by someone receiving compensation for the purpose of influencing legislative or executive officials,
• Involve an expense beyond the lobbyist’s wages or travel, and
• Intend to influence or earn goodwill with a public official.

We encourage you to review the definition of “Lobbyist” in I.C. § 74-702(7) and the various exemptions outlined in I.C. § 74-704.

Lobbying does not include communications to members of an association, client, or employer. We encourage you to review the definition of “Lobby” or “Lobbying” in I.C. § 74-702(7) and the various exemptions outlined in I.C. § 74-704.

1. Lobbying laws have moved out of campaign finance and into a new home: Title 74, Chapter 7, under Transparent and Ethical Government.
2. Improvements to the online system, including:
   • A 48-hour report option on the lobbyist dashboard
   • A “quick file” option for no activity (stay tuned for updates)
   • An updated 2025 filing calendar that now includes monthly reports

To ensure proper reporting and identification of the source of expenditures, any public communication made that is reportable as a lobbying expense under this chapter shall clearly state “Paid for by [the name of the filing entity, lobbyist’s client, or lobbyist’s employer].

Many of the provisions of the Sunshine Law haven’t changed since their creation in 1974 and it was time for an update to better reflect modern day lobbying activity. Over the past few sessions, we’ve seen both an increase in lobbying expenditures and a shift in tactics. So far in 2025, each of the top five reporting lobbying employers has spent more than $100,000. With this growth and evolution, the Legislature saw a need for more frequent and comprehensive reporting. Transparency is a shared goal, and we’re committed to making the reporting process as smooth and straightforward as possible.