Energy Utility Lobbying Ban Act

The Energy Utility Lobbying Ban Act aims to prevent former State regulatory authority personnel from lobbying their previous agencies on behalf of electric utilities. It mandates that the Secretary of Energy withhold 10 percent of State energy program financial assistance from States that fail to implement specific lobbying restrictions. These restrictions prohibit former officers or employees from appearing or advocating before their former agency on behalf of an electric utility regarding matters in which they personally and substantially participated during their service. Furthermore, the bill imposes a two-year ban on lobbying their former agency on behalf of electric utilities concerning matters that were under their official responsibility within one year of their termination. States must also establish mechanisms to enforce these prohibitions , including investigating complaints, imposing penalties, and allowing affected parties to seek damages. The Secretary of Energy is tasked with annually determining State compliance, providing a 90-day cure period for non-compliant States, and administering the program through public databases, technical assistance, and regular reports to Congress.