Compliance Tips: Common Mistakes To Avoid When Preparing LDA Reports

With the first LD-2 reporting deadline of 2023 less than two weeks away (April 20), registrants should begin to compile their organization's federal lobbying activity for disclosure on their quarterly reports. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released its annual report summarizing registrants' and lobbyists' compliance with disclosure obligations during 2022. As part of its annual review, the GAO surveyed 100 quarterly LD-2 reports and 160 semi-annual LD-203 contribution reports. GAO's report details where filers complied—and failed to comply—with their obligations under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended (LDA). Below is a list of the most common errors made by filers on LD-2 and LD-203 reports: