Bill Would Close “Oracle”Loopholes

There is a new bill that would force those seeking business from the state to register as lobbyists, more fully disclose their activities and limit the amount they spend entertaining officials. A-B 13 was introduced yesterday in response to California´s involvement in the $95 million Oracle Corporation software deal. Legislative hearings show that Oracle lobbyist Ravi Mehta had a separate business contract with the company that qualified him for huge bonuses and allowed him to escape lobbying disclosure laws. Lobbyists are prohibited from receiving bonuses or spending more than ten dollars per month on a single state official. Companies that employ lobbyists are prohibited from spending more than three hundred dollars a year on all meals and gifts intended to influence state officials.