City and County of Denver, CO

05/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 13:35

DCR, City Council Partner to Change Denver Lobbying Laws

DCR, City Council Partner to Change Denver Lobbying Laws

Published on May 19, 2026

Today, the Denver Clerk & Recorder and City Council formally begin the process to change the Denver Revised Municipal Code to increase transparency in the lobbying process.
Denver's current lobbying laws are outdated, confusing, and do not provide meaningful transparency for prospective elected officials, lobbyists, or the public at large. This measure aims to help the public see who is influencing decisions, the issues being influenced, and how those processes happen.

What This Measure Does
Should it pass, this measure would bring Denver in line with state law and peer cities. It would:
  • Require lobbyists to publicly disclose who is paying them to influence city decisions
  • Make it easier for the public to see what specific issues, policies, or legislation lobbyists are trying to influence
  • Require disclosure of organized campaigns designed to influence public opinion on city issues
  • Increase transparency related to meetings between city officials and lobbyists
  • Prevent former elected officials from immediately becoming lobbyists by creating a mandatory waiting period before they can lobby city government

What This Measure Does Not Do
  • It does not limit free speech or advocacy
  • It does not target specific industries or individuals
  • It does not eliminate existing exemptions such as volunteers

Upon passage, this measure would give Denver residents clear, usable information while building trust in government decisions and ensuring fair and consistent enforcement.
"At a time when access to public information is being challenged at the federal level, Denver had an opportunity to lead, and we are proud to champion disclosure and access for the public," Denver Clerk & Recorder Paul López said.
"Transparency at the local level helps rebuild trust in government by providing consistent, reliable, and accessible information about influence and lobbying efforts," City Council co-sponsors Jamie Torres, Shontel Lewis, and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez said in a joint statement. "This bill improves transparency and accountability to the lobbying process without limiting the right to advocate or participate in public debate. We're proud to partner on reforms that give the public more confidence in how decisions are made."
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City and County of Denver, CO published this content on May 19, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 19, 2026 at 19:35 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]