Multnomah County’s new lobbyist registration and reporting framework goes into effect today, July 1. The new system is part of an effort to implement the County’s first-ever lobbying reporting requirements and other transparency measures laid out in a Board-approved ordinance, including new rules requiring commissioners to publicly post their calendars.
The ordinance — co-sponsored by Commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Shannon Singleton — was passed unanimously by the Board of County Commissioners May 1, 2025. The July 1, 2026, launch date allowed the County time to build the necessary registration and reporting infrastructure with in-house resources, and to educate staff, community members, advocates, and lobbyists on the new requirements.
The new rules are designed to promote transparency by providing community members clear visibility into outside interests and organizations influencing, or attempting to influence, County legislative actions. The requirements bring Multnomah County in line with long-standing transparency standards already utilized by the State of Oregon and neighboring jurisdictions.
The County now:
- Requires lobbyists to register within three business days after exceeding 10 hours of lobbying activity and to itemize individual expenses that exceed $50 per quarter.
- Requires commissioners to post their calendars of official County activities each quarter.
- Establishes a “cooling-off period” that prohibits County officials from lobbying Multnomah County within one year after their County service ends.
Certain activities remain exempt from these registration and reporting mandates, including the news media’s ordinary course of business, government officials acting in an official capacity, community members serving on Multnomah County advisory committees and uncompensated individuals delivering formal public testimony.
Enforcement will prioritize proactive education. The County will issue letters of education as its initial corrective action in lieu of immediate financial penalties, though the ordinance allows for fines of up to $500 per infraction for ongoing non-compliance.
The Lobbyist Registration Portal is now open for lobbyists, businesses and employers subject to the new rules to register, while members of the public can use it to search registered lobbyists, view expense reports and download data. The County’s Lobbyist Information webpage includes a digital user guide, as well as links to the portal and a form to submit lobbying-related complaints.
The first report of commissioners’ calendars — starting with information for the period of July 1 to Sept. 30, 2026 — will be posted on the County website Oct. 15, 2026. Subsequent calendar reports will continue to be published on a rolling quarterly basis.
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