2987 - Lobbying contacts.

§ 2987. Lobbying contacts. 1. Definitions. As used in this title:    a.  "lobbyist" shall have the same meaning as defined in section one-c  of the legislative law.    b. "lobbying" shall mean and include any attempt to influence:    (i) the adoption or rejection of any rule  or  regulation  having  the  force and effect of law by a public authority, and    (ii) the outcome of any rate making proceeding by a public authority.    c.  "contact"  shall mean any conversation, in person or by telephonic  or other remote means, or correspondence between any lobbyist engaged in  the act of lobbying and any person within a state authority who can make  or influence a decision on the subject of the lobbying on behalf of  the  authority, and shall include, at a minimum, all members of the governing  board and all officers of the state authority.    2.  Every  state  authority  shall  maintain  a record of all lobbying  contacts made with such authority.    3. Every member, officer or employee  of  a  state  authority  who  is  contacted  by  a  lobbyist  shall  make a contemporaneous record of such  contact containing the day and time of the contact, the identity of  the  lobbyist and a general summary of the substance of the contact.    4.  Each  state  authority  shall  adopt  a  policy  implementing  the  requirements of this section. Such policy shall appoint  an  officer  to  whom  all  such  records shall be delivered. Such officer shall maintain  such records for not less than seven years in a filing  system  designed  to  organize  such records in a manner so as to make such records useful  to determine whether the decisions of the authority were  influenced  by  lobbying contacts.