The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction):

Lobbyists who try to influence legislation or state agency rules are going to have to be more open about what they are doing, and who they are working for under a bill that won preliminary approval in the Colorado House on Tuesday.

The measure, HB1248, is designed to give the public more details about who lobbyists are working for, and what their clients expect of them.

Lawmakers behind the bill say such legislation is needed to shine a brighter light on the nearly $30 million a year that is spent by businesses and special interest groups on lobbying efforts.

“That’s more money spent to influence lawmakers than was spent to elect lawmakers,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton, who introduced the bill with Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “The danger of this is that it gives lobbyists access and influence that the general public doesn’t have. So if money equals speech, it is important that we know where that money is coming from.”

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