Lobbying is “the act of attempting to influence business and government leaders to create legislation or conduct an activity that will help a particular organization,” according to businessdictionary.com. Public relations may share the same goals and clients as lobbying, but PR is not lobbying.
It’s disheartening that the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) wants to extend state lobbying regulations to include aspects of public relations. That’s why I’m glad the Public Relations Society of America, the PR Council and the Arthur W. Page Society have teamed up to fight this.
Read more about this joint effort.
I look forward to learning local PRSA chapters can get involved.