Creates a new lobbying disclosure chapter; removes weekly reporting requirement; removes the term “educate” from the definition of lobbying; creates a new definition of “indirect lobbying”; requires reporting of expenditures more than $100 in indirect lobbying within 48 hours; prohibits a lobbyist to lobby a member of the Legislature or any executive official who is the lobbyist’s spouse, parent, child, or sibling.

Expands the definition of lobbying to education; expands the definition of lobbying to indirect contacts and attempts to influence legislation by attempting to affect public opinion and encouraging the audience to take action.

Creates a presumption that the person is receiving compensation from an organization of lobbying efforts for any individual with a substantial ownership in or is a paid employee, officer, or director of an organization and actively participates in lobbying activities; makes contracts void or voidable a contract entered into by the state in violation of this chapter; expands the definition of lobbying to include communications concerning the solicitation or award of a contract or a proposal before an administrative agency or a potential future vendor relationship with an administrative agency; excludes from lobbying communications about a request for proposals, contract, or vendor relationship if initiated by a legislator or state employee; companion to SB 290.

Creates a presumption that the person is receiving compensation from an organization of lobbying efforts for any individual with a substantial ownership in or is a paid employee, officer, or director of an organization and actively participates in lobbying activities; makes contracts void or voidable a contract entered into by the state in violation of this chapter; expands the definition of lobbying to include communications concerning the solicitation or award of a contract or a proposal before an administrative agency or a potential future vendor relationship with an administrative agency; excludes from lobbying communications about a request for proposals, contract, or vendor relationship if initiated by a legislator or state employee; companion to HB 412.

Requires a person who becomes an agent of a foreign principal to register and provide contact information, detailed statement describing the nature of the work, character of the business or other activities, ownership control, payment information, activity performed, and political activity; defines “political activity” as any activity that is performed to influence an agency, a public official, or a local government entity, include the public in creating, adopting, or changing state laws or government policies, support or oppose a candidate for office, influence the outcome of an election, or support oppose any issue; companion to HB 583.

Requires a person who becomes an agent of a foreign principal to register and provide contact information, detailed statement describing the nature of the work, character of the business or other activities, ownership control, payment information, activity performed, and political activity; defines “political activity” as any activity that is performed to influence an agency, a public official, or a local government entity, include the public in creating, adopting, or changing state laws or government policies, support or oppose a candidate for office, influence the outcome of an election, or support oppose any issue; companion to SB 766.

Removes nonprofit lobbyists from lobbying, registration, and disclosure requirements; permits nonprofits to use a nonprofit lobbyist to lobby one or more covered officials no more than 30 days per state fiscal years with a maximum of 20 days occurring while the general assembly is in session; requires a nonprofit lobbyist to report each lobbyist to the secretary of state within 72 hours.

Adds to the duties of the not-for-profit contracting advisory committee to advise the governor, comptroller, and state agencies on the implantation and operation of the state finance law, regularly review and report on timeliness, the state’s grant management system, comptroller reports, how procurement, contracting, and vetting can be improved, and issue recommendations.

Requires the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to conduct a comprehensive study of the State’s grant, contracting, and procurement services, including reimbursement rates, cost-of-living or inflation adjustments, application procedures, standard contract language that permits flexibility in terms and conditions and allows for multi-year contracts and clarifies when upfront payments are permitted, delays in execution and payment, impact on wages for employees of contracted nonprofits, best practices from other states, adequate agency staffing levels, complications from the tiered procurement process, appeals and overturned decisions, request for proposal processes, strategies for implementing new federal procurement and contracts guidance, inefficiencies and barriers to equitable access, feasibility of master contracts, and feasibility of allocating funds carried forward; requires stakeholder engagement, including representatives from nonprofits; requires a report.

Increases the indirect cost rate for grants and contracts with nonprofits from 10% to the higher of the de minimis rate established under the OMB Uniform Guidance or 15%; re-enacts Maryland Efficient Grant Application (MEGA) Council, and directs it to study and make recommendations to the Department of Budget and Management on regulations adopting the OMB Uniform Guidance for application to state grants, with appropriate modifications; provides that this is an emergency measure that takes effect upon enactment. Companion to SB 127.