CS/CS/SB 734 (Ingoglia) and CS/CS/HB 735 (Andrade) impose restrictions on the renewal or extension of contracts for the chief executive officer of a municipality and the municipal general counsel; lobbyist registration requirements for lobbying counties, municipalities or special districts; and revise physical quorum requirements for public meetings. The bills prohibit a person from lobbying a county, municipality or special district unless he or she is registered with the Florida Commission on Ethics for lobbying the county, municipality or special district.  The Commission is required to maintain a public database of persons registered to lobby a municipality, county or special district. The bills require a county, municipality or special district from knowingly authorizing a person who is not registered as a lobbyist with the Commission to lobby the county, municipality or special district. “Lobby” is defined as seeking, on behalf of another person or group, to influence a decision of the governing entity in an area of policy or procurement or in an attempt to obtain the goodwill of an official or employee of such entity. “Lobbyist” has the same meaning as in Section 112.3215(1). The bills authorize the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate violations of the registration requirements upon receipt of a sworn complaint alleging a violation of the lobbyist registration requirements. It directs the Commission to provide the county, municipality or special district with a report of its findings and recommendations and authorizes the chief executive officer of the county, municipality or special district to enforce the Commission’s findings and recommendations. CS/CS/SB 734 preempts and supersedes any ordinance or charter provision establishing a lobbyist registration program adopted before July 1, 2024. CS/CS/HB 735 does not preempt or supersede any local government lobbyist registration program adopted before January 1, 2025. The bills prohibit public officers, public employees, a local government attorney or candidate for nomination or election from soliciting or accepting anything of value from a foreign country of concern. The bills prohibit the governing body of a municipality from renewing or extending the employment contract of a chief executive officer of the municipality during the eight months immediately preceding a general election for the mayor or for members of the governing body unless the renewal or extension is approved by a unanimous vote. In addition, the bills prohibit the governing body of a municipality from renewing or extending the employment contract of a municipal general counsel during the eight months immediately preceding a general election for mayor or for members of the governing body unless the renewal or extension is approved by a unanimous vote. CS/CS/HB 735 was amended to address financial disclosure requirements for elected members of a municipal governing body. It provides that a mayor and members of a governing body with a municipal population of 500 or fewer are required to file Form 1 instead of Form 6 financial disclosure. CS/CS/HB 735 is effective January 2025, and CS/CS/SB 734 is effective July 2024. (O’Hara)