New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government
Public Information Office:
518-486-7842
press@ethics.ny.gov
Ethics.ny.gov
For Immediate Release:
April 3, 2025
LOBBYING SPENDING REACHED $377.1 MILLION IN 2024; SURPASSED RECORD 2023 SPENDING BY 4.57%
Healthcare and Gaming Interests Among Largest Client Spenders
Preliminary 2024 Lobbying Charts Available
Lobbying spending continued to reach a new height with a preliminary total of $377.1 million spent on lobbying activities in 2024, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the Commission or COELIG) Executive Director Sanford N. Berland announced today. The total marks a 4.57% increase from $360.6 million spent in 2023, making 2024 another record-breaking year. Detailed charts on 2024 lobbying spending are available.
“In 2025, our work proves to be more crucial than ever as lobbying spending reaches unprecedented levels,” Executive Director Sanford N. Berland said. “Last year, we saw changes in the top 10 client spenders over the previous year, with healthcare and gaming organizations now topping the list. In addition, the Commission continues to experience an increasingly higher volume of lobbying filings, and is making and responding to tens of thousands of lobbying-related inquiries. This demonstrates the Commission’s important role in ensuring all lobbying activity is accurately reported and shared with the public.”
“As lobbying spending continues to rise to never-seen-before heights, the Commission is committed to increasing transparency by releasing aggregated lobbying data more frequently and sooner than in the past,” Chair Leonard B. Austin said. “Through the Commission’s compliance and enforcement efforts, we are ensuring lobbyists and clients are correctly reporting their lobbying activities so the public can see the full picture of which organizations and individuals are seeking to influence state and local decision-making.”
Lobbying Spending Reaches All-Time High
Preliminary total lobbying spending in 2024 rose to the highest level yet, with more than $377.1 million spent by those individuals and entities lobbying state and local officials and policymakers. This marks a 4.57% increase from the previous record of $360.6 million reported in 2023, with an additional $16.5 million spent in 2024. The data is based on information in public corporation bi-monthly reports and client semi-annual reports as of March 20, 2025.
Lobbying filings also saw a 5.8% increase in 2024, with 77,883 filings total. Lobbying-related inquiries and responses totaled 39,491, a 3.2% increase from the 38,269 received in 2023.
LOBBYING GUIDANCE AND FILINGS
Year
Lobbying Inquiries & Responses
Lobbying Filings
2024
39,491
77,883
2023
38,269
73,560
Percent Increase
3.2%
5.9%
Top Client Spenders and Retained Lobbyists
The healthcare industry had several top client spenders in 2024. The 1199SEIU Labor Management Initiatives, Inc. Healthcare Education Project again topped the list with $11.5 million spent on lobbying activities—up more than $3.1 million from 2023. A newcomer to the Top 10 clients category, the Alliance to Protect Home Care, Inc. came in second this year with $10.6 million in lobbying spending. The Greater New York Hospital Association fell to the number 4 spot from number 3 last year with $3 million in spending.
The gaming industry featured two top client spenders with Genting New York LLC ranking third on the list at $3.2 million in spending and newcomer Queens Future, LLC at number 5 with $2.6 million in lobbying. Total client spending among the top ten client spenders reached $39.1 million, marking another significant increase from the $31.59 million in 2023.
Rounding out the Top 10 were United University Professions, Inc. (#6, not in top 10 in 2023), AIRBNB, Inc. (#7, also not in the top 10 in 2023), newcomer Multistate Associates (#8), the NYS Trial Lawyers Association (dropping to #9 from #8 in 2023), and newcomer the American Beverage Association (#10). Multistate Associates, LLC is a contractual client that generally acts as an intermediary to retain the services of lobbyists for the benefit of others.
TOP 10 CLIENT SPENDERS
Clients Ranked by Compensation and Expenses
CLIENT
AMOUNT
1.
1199SEIU Labor Management Initiatives, Inc. Healthcare Education Project
$11,479,165
2.
ALLIANCE TO PROTECT HOME CARE, INC.
$10,576,094
3.
GENTING NEW YORK LLC
$3,213,000
4.
GREATER NEW YORK HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
$3,010,983
5.
Queens Future, LLC
$2,615,189
6.
UNITED UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONS, INC.
$2,190,654
7.
AIRBNB, INC.
$1,720,592
8.
MULTISTATE ASSOCIATES LLC*
$1,476,256
9.
TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (NYS)
$1,440,619
10.
AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION
$1,408,193
* Multistate Associates, LLC is a contractual client that generally acts as an intermediary to retain the services of lobbyists for the benefit of others.
As for professional/retained lobbyists, the grand total of compensation (excluding coalition contributions) for the top ten retained lobbyists in 2024 reached $114.5 million. Once again Brown & Weinraub Advisors, LLC topped the list with $22.1 million in compensation, which remained steady from 2023. Bolton-St. Johns, LLC received $18.1 million for its lobbying on behalf of clients, retaining second place, and Kasirer LLC stayed at #3 with $17.1 million in compensation and expenses. Other rankings include Greenberg Traurig (#4), Ostroff Associates (#5), Hinman Straub Advisors (#6), and Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno, LLC (#7). Closing out the list are The Parkside Group, LLC (#8), Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, LLC (#9), and Manatt, Phelps, & Phillip, LLP (#10).
Clients Ranked by Top Compensation Payment
Last year saw a change in the top clients when ranked by compensation paid to retained lobbyists. Genting New York LLC remained in the number one spot, having paid $3.2 million in compensation to seven different retained lobbyists. However, Queens Future, LLC earned the number two spot at $1.6 million in compensation and Multistate Associates LLC claimed the number three spot, having paid $1.5 million to ten retained lobbyists.
Lobbying Firms by Number of Clients
Last year saw little change in the top lobbying firms by number of clients, with no change in the top three ranked firms. Brown & Weinraub Advisors, LLC held on to the top spot with 342 contractual clients and 375 beneficial clients. Their total compensation totaled $22.1 million. Bolton-St. Johns, LLC and Kasirer LLC maintained their number two and three spots respectively, with Bolton-St. Johns, LLC at 292 contractual clients and 291 beneficial clients and Kasirer LLC at 242 contractual clients and 250 beneficial clients. Compensation expenses for the top ten lobbying firms totaled $114.5 million in 2024.
Top Subjects, State Bills, and Parties Lobbied
Top lobbying subjects/topics remained unchanged in 2024 with Miscellaneous Business, Budget/Appropriations, and Health representing the top three. The top bills lobbied in 2024 continued to be budget bills and included Senate Bill 8307 and Assembly Bill 8807, both of which centered on implementing the state Health and Mental Hygiene Budget for the 2024-2025 state fiscal year. In the third spot was Senate Bill 8303, which focused on the Aid to Localities Budget by making appropriations for the support of government. Similarly, the top three parties lobbied remained the same and included Executive Chamber/Office of the Governor with 4,574 filings, NYS Senate Majority Program and Counsel Staff with 2,434 filings, and NYS Assembly Majority Program and Counsel Staff with 2,046 filings.
About COELIG
Established by the 2022-2023 Enacted State Budget and made effective in July 2022, the Commission’s charge is to foster public trust in government by ensuring compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws and regulations. It has jurisdiction over more than 330,000 officers and employees at state agencies and departments, including commissions, boards, state public benefit corporations, public authorities, SUNY, CUNY, and the statutory closely affiliated corporations; the four statewide elected officials and candidates for those offices; employees and members of the state Legislature and legislative candidates; and state and local lobbyists and their clients.
The Commission administers, enforces, and interprets New York’s ethics and lobbying laws by providing information, education, and guidance regarding ethics and lobbying laws; promoting compliance through audits, investigations, and enforcement proceedings; issuing formal and informal advisory opinions; and promulgating regulations implementing the laws under its jurisdiction.
The Commission promotes transparency by conducting its proceedings publicly to the fullest extent permitted by law and by making the financial and other disclosures filed by those subject to the Commission’s authority publicly available. These disclosures include, but are not limited to, annual financial disclosure statements filed by over 30,000 individuals, and millions of records contained in registrations and activity and expense reports filed by lobbyists and their clients.
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