ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) Lobbying in New York broke new records in 2024, with $377.1 million spent on state and local efforts. Spending rose 4.57% from 2023 as groups ramped up efforts to sway government decisions.

According to Sanford Berland, the executive director of the state’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, or COELIG, “In 2025, our work proves to be more crucial than ever as lobbying spending reaches unprecedented levels.”

What is lobbying?

Lobbying generally refers to efforts to influence legislative, regulatory, or executive decisions by trying to convince elected officials and government agencies to prioritize different special interests.

It covers direct contact, written filings, and public remarks or correspondence meant to sway policy, but not campaign donations or other political contributions, which fall under separate rules.

COELIG tracks and reports on lobbying expenses and disclosures from state agencies, lawmakers, and some larger municipalities. In their latest report—available to read at the bottom of this story—the commissioner gathered statistics and reviewed spending from different consultants and firms trying to control the political winds.

Over 6,000 lobbyists registered in 2024

In 2024, the top 10 “client spenders”—the entities that fund lobbying and lobbyists to advocate on their behalf—shelled out about $39.1 million in total, with the healthcare and gambling industries leading the pack.

The 1199SEIU Labor Management Healthcare Education Project spent almost $11.5 million, while the Alliance to Protect Home Care followed close behind with about $10.6 million. Two gaming firms—Genting New York and Queens Future—spent close to $6 million combined.

A total of 6,113 lobbyists were registered in 2024. They also increased their efforts overall, with COELIG’s data showing that lobbyists filed 77,883 reports in 2024, up from 73,560 in 2023. They lobbied hard at the Office of the Governor, with 4,574 filings. In total, lobbyists spent almost $22 million trying to influence the executive branch.

State Senate Democrats had 2,434 filings, while the Assembly Democrats received 2,046.

John McDonald among top names for individual lobbying

Individual lawmakers also drew attention. Top names for individual lobbying efforts included Assemblymembers Amy Paulin, John McDonald, and Harry Bronson, and State Senators Jeremy Cooney, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Pete Harckham, Shelley Mayer, and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, all Democrats.

The top lobbying firms included Brown and Weinraub Advisors with $22.1 million in compensation, Bolton-St. Johns with $18.1 million, and Kasirer LLC with $17.1 million.

2024 Preliminary Lobbying Data

State law sets rules for who counts as a lobbyist. For example, state employees performing official duties are excluded. And they also limit who can work in lobbying. For example, a criminal record generally serves as a black mark.

In order to get a seat at the table, members of COELIG’s leadership also may not have worked in lobbying. Covering over 330,000 state officers and employees, the commission reviews thousands of filings a year, conducts random audits and investigations, and provides ethics training to government workers.

Check out the report below: