And, if you need any more incentive, the Ethics Commission conducts random audits. You won't know if you have been audited unless there is a potential error, so having your house in order will help if there is an audit issue. This is also important if someone files a sworn complaint against you.

Best Practices for Recordkeeping

Keep any records necessary for the reports:

• at least four years after the date the report is filed for lobby reports;

• at least two years after the filing deadline of the report for campaign finance reports.

While there is no such rule yet for lobby reporting, the Commission adopted what is important to keep for political reporting (a safe harbor – see rule 20.18) and it includes items such as bank statements, canceled checks, invoices, and receipts.

Please remember to keep documentation for lobby expenditures that you make directly and keep track of multiple sponsor events.

For lobbying, invite all members when feasible so that calculating a cost per person is not required.