EAO 067

A registered lobbyist is not prohibited from giving free books to legislators, but a registrant is prohibited from giving, and a legislator from accepting, “an expenditure or series of expenditures for gifts that in the aggregate exceed $500 in a calendar year.” The lobbyist must report any such gift. The lobbyist should report the greater of the fair market value of the books or the actual cost of developing, writing, producing, and distributing the books. A registered lobbyist is not prohibited from selling legislators books for the actual cost of writing, developing, publishing, and distributing the books. Such a sale is not a “gift” and would not have to be reported under the lobby statute.