Why must lobbyists register with the government and report their activities annually?
In 2011 The New York State legislature passed a law requiring all lobbyists to register and report to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, a 14-member appointed and elected board.
The answer is: to provide transparency on how lobbyists and government officials interact
Lobbyists often made up of people that are backed by large corporations. This mean that there is a really high chance these lobbyists could back a certain politician financially in return of favors from that politician.Registering with the government and report their activities annually would prevent or minimize such shady practices from happening.