13A10 - Registration fees; fund established; system; regulations.
§ 13A10. Registration fees; fund established; system; regulations. (a) Registration fees.--At the time of registration, a person required to be registered under this chapter shall pay a biennial registration fee of $100 to the department. (b) Fund.-- (1) The Lobbying Disclosure Fund is established as a special fund in the State Treasury. (2) Money received from registration fees under subsection (a) shall be deposited in the fund. Money remaining in the fund established under former 65 Pa.C.S. § 1310(b) shall be transferred to the fund. (3) Money deposited in the fund is appropriated to the department as a continuing appropriation for the exclusive purpose of carrying out this chapter. (c) Computerized filing system.--The department shall implement a fully accessible system to accommodate the use of computerized filing. Each registrant shall elect on an annual basis whether the registrant will file all of the documents required by this chapter either electronically or on paper with the department. (d) Regulations.-- (1) A committee comprised of the chairman of the commission, the Attorney General, the chief counsel of the board, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, an individual appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, an individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, an individual appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, an individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or their designees, and a lobbyist appointed by the Governor shall have authority to promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this chapter. The Attorney General shall be chairman of this committee. A vacancy occurring among the appointed members of the committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A committee member who is a member of the General Assembly shall serve for a term that is coincident with the member's term of office. (2) The committee shall submit the initial proposed regulations within 180 days of the effective date of this section to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission under section 5 of the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act. (3) A meeting at which the committee plans to approve proposed regulations or other official actions shall be held in accordance with Chapter 7 (relating to open meetings). (4) The department shall provide sufficient staff and other administrative support to assist the committee. (5) The committee shall prepare and publish a manual setting forth guidelines for accounting and reporting. (6) The regulations and manual shall be drafted to accommodate the use of computerized recordkeeping, electronic filing of required registrations and reports under this chapter and retention of registration statements and reports under this chapter by electronic means. Effective Date. Section 6(1)(i) of Act 134 of 2006 provided that subsec. (d) shall take effect immediately. Special Provisions in Appendix. See sections 4 and 5 of Act 134 of 2006 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to publication of notice and utilization of funds. Cross References. Section 13A10 is referred to in sections 13A03, 13A08 of this title.