,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ajjhj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,august #aj1 #bjbf,mr4 ,vindman introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to impose lobbying restrictions on former officers and employees of ,state regulatory authorities1 and to condition ,state energy program financial assistance on ,state compliance with those restrictions4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,energy ,utility ,lobbying ,ban ,act4 #b4 ,condition on granting ,state energy program financial assistance 7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding part ,d of the ,energy ,policy and ,conservation ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fcba et seq471 beginning with the first full fiscal year following the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall withhold #aj percent of the amount of ,state energy program financial assistance to be granted to a ,state in a fiscal year unless the ,secretary determines the ,state-- 7#a7 prohibits any person who is a former officer or employee of a ,state regulatory authority from1 after the termination of his or her service or employment with such ,state regulatory authority1 making an appearance or advocating before any officer or employee of such ,state regulatory authority on behalf of any electric utility with respect to which such ,state regulatory authority has ratemaking authority in connection with a particular matter in which the electric utility is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and in which the person participated personally and substantially during his or her service or employment with the ,state regulatory authority2 7#b7 prohibits any person described in paragraph 7#a7 from1 within #b years after the termination of his or her service or employment with such ,state regulatory authority1 making an appearance or advocating before any officer or employee of such ,state regulatory authority on behalf of any electric utility with respect to which such ,state regulatory authority has ratemaking authority in connection with a particular matter in which the electric utility is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and which such person knows or reasonably should know was actually pending under his or her official responsibility within a period of #a year before such termination2 and 7#c7 enforces the prohibitions required under paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 including by investigating complaints1 imposing penalties for noncompliance1 and allowing affected parties to seek recovery of damages arising from violations4 7b7 ,determination of compliance ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall determine1 based on a review of applicable ,state law1 whether each ,state has in effect the lobbying restrictions described in subsection 7a74 7c7 ,restoration ,if the ,secretary withholds from a ,state financial assistance under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall grant to the ,state the withheld financial assistance in the following fiscal year if the ,state is in compliance for that fiscal year4 7d7 ,cure period ,if the ,secretary determines a ,state does not comply with subsection 7a7 for a fiscal year1 the ,state shall have #ij days to remedy the noncompliance before the ,secretary withholds financial assistance from the ,state under subsection 7a74 7e7 ,methods of compliance ,a ,state may comply with subsection 7a7 through any legally binding mechanism under ,state law1 including legislation1 administrative rulemaking1 or binding orders of a ,state regulatory authority1 provided such mechanism achieves the lobbying restrictions required under such subsection4 7f7 ,administration 7#a7 ,in general ,for purposes of carrying out this section1 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 establish procedures for conducting the annual compliance review under subsection 7b72 7,b7 maintain a public database that identifies the status of each ,state's compliance with subsection 7a72 7,c7 provide technical assistance to ,states to comply with subsection 7a72 7,d7 issue guidance interpreting this section2 7,e7 establish a process to appeal a determination by the ,secretary that a ,state does not comply with subsection 7a72 and 7,f7 annually report to ,congress on ,state compliance rates4 7#b7 ,deadline for initial regulations ,the ,secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section not later than #i months after the date of enactment of this section4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,ratemaking authority ,the term ratemaking authority has the meaning given such term in section #c of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfjb74 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,energy4 7#c7 ,state ,the term ,state has the meaning given such term in section #c of the ,energy ,policy and ,conservation ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fbjb74 7#d7 ,state energy program financial assistance ,the term ,state energy program financial assistance means the financial assistance granted to a ,state under section #cfc of the ,energy ,policy and ,conservation ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fcbc74 7#e7 ,state regulatory authority ,the term ,state regulatory authority has the meaning given such term in section #c of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfjb74