As Oklahoma policymakers grappled this year with a $1.3-billion budget shortfall, special-interest groups plied them with more free meals, drinks, Thunder tickets and other gifts.

Oklahoma Ethics Commission filings show a total of 195 lobbyists gave out $344,600 worth of gifts from January through May – or nearly $30,000 more than in the first six months of 2015. It was also more than double the $155,892 spent in the first half of 2014 – the last year when stricter lobbying polices were in place.

That change raised the cap in many cases for how much in gifts a state lawmaker or official can receive each year. It also possibly made the reporting process easier, so it’s hard to determine if after 2014 lobbyists began spending more or just reporting more, said Lee Slater, executive director of the Ethics Commission.

The disclosure rules are intended to let citizens know who is paying to curry favor with officials and limit the influence of money. In general, political watchdog groups don’t view meals or tickets as quid pro quo, but the gifts can represent a form of access and influence for powerful special interests that members of the public don’t enjoy.

A key reporting gap remains: Lobbyists, who often have multiple clients, do not have to indicate which client or clients they’re representing when they buy a meal or gift for a legislator or state official. They do have to report the client being represented when they buy gifts or meals for a group of lawmakers, such as a party caucus.

Ethics Commission data indicates that legislators accepted an average of $957 each in gifts this year through May. More than 90 percent occurred during the legislative session, which ran from Feb. 1 to May 26.

The most common expense was food and beverages, disclosure reports show. These ranged from $3 for a food-truck lunch to more than $150 for a single meal.

Oklahoma City Thunder tickets, including for playoffs games, were popular. About 100 tickets, worth more than $9,275, were given to lawmakers and other officials.

All but two of the 149 legislators accepted at least some gifts this year. Those two were Rep. Elise Hall, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, who posts a sign outside his Capitol office saying he does not accept gifts from “lobbyist-represented entities,” disclosure reports show.

The data shows that Republicans took in slightly more than their Democratic counterparts. GOP lawmakers averaged $997 apiece compared with $847 for Democrats.

First-term Rep. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, received the most among legislators for the second year in a row. Felt received $2,971 worth of gifts, mostly in meals and beverages, from 37 different lobbyists.

The other top recipients were Rep. Tom Newell, R-Seminole, $2,626; Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, $2,576; Sen. Mike Shultz, R-Altus, $2,449, and Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City, $2,381. Minority Floor Leader Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City, was the only Democrat to receive more than $2,000, getting $2,160.

Several top state officials also took in hundreds of dollars in gifts. Gov. Mary Fallin accepted $347 in gifts, including two $80 Thunder tickets.

In addition to gifts to individuals, lobbyists spent more than $171,800 on meals or events that were open to the entire Legislature or the House or Senate caucuses.

Those included a $14,693 legislative reception held in conjunction with a firefighters conference; $11,562 for a legislative reception sponsored by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, Oklahoma and Lodging Association and Oklahoma Travel Industry Association; and $11,387 for the Oklahoma Youth Exposition’s legislative and celebrity showmanship reception.

Kenneth Sparks, who represents the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, led the 195 lobbyists in spending. But of the $21,545 he gave out, $19,981 was spent on the association’s “Out of the Gate” legislative reception.

Other big spenders were lobbyists who represent multiple groups. For example, Jami Longacre, who represents 10 companies or organizations, made 232 separate expenses totaling about $18,500. Robert Huddleston, who lobbies for Anheuser-Busch, Wells Fargo, Invenergy and seven other groups, made 196 expenses totaling nearly $18,000.

Before 2015, the state limited special-interest groups or companies that employed one or more lobbyists to spending no more than $100 worth of gifts on each lawmaker or state official per year.

With the change, each lobbyist can now give away up to $500 worth of gifts per lawmaker or state official annually regardless of the number of clients he or she represents. That means lobbyists representing fewer than five clients can spend more.

The Ethics Commission also began requiring so-called “legislative liaisons” or “executive lobbyists” – state employees who lobby policymakers on behalf of their agency – to report their gifts.

Gifts Accepted, by Legislator

Oklahoma legislators received nearly $84,000 in free meals, tickets and other gifts during the first five months of 2016.

Name Legislative Body Party District Lobbying Funds Received (Jan. 1-May 31, 2016) Rep. Casey Murdock House Republican 61 $2,972 Rep. Tom Newell House Republican 28 $2,626 Sen. Brian Bingman Senate Republican 12 $2,577 Sen. Mike Schulz Senate Republican 38 $2,449 Rep. Chris Kannady House Republican 91 $2,381 Sen. Kim David Senate Republican 18 $2,309 Rep. John Pfeiffer House Republican 38 $2,294 Rep. Scott Inman House Democrat 94 $2,161 Rep. Josh Cockroft House Republican 27 $2,147 Rep. Jon Echols House Republican 90 $2,125 Rep. Justin Wood House Republican 26 $2,103 Rep. Charles McCall House Republican 22 $2,067 Rep. Glen Mulready House Republican 68 $2,061 Sen. Greg Treat Senate Republican 47 $1,931 Rep. Ben Sherrer House Democrat 8 $1,923 Rep. James Leewright House Republican 29 $1,914 Rep. Scott Biggs House Republican 51 $1,806 Rep. David Derby House Republican 74 $1,773 Rep. Chad Caldwell House Republican 40 $1,758 Rep. Eric Proctor House Democrat 77 $1,748 Rep. Scooter Park House Republican 65 $1,677 Rep. Michael Rogers House Republican 98 $1,655 Rep. Jason Dunnington House Democrat 88 $1,629 Rep. Kevin Wallace House Republican 32 $1,627 Sen. Eddie Fields Senate Republican 10 $1,593 Rep. Sean Roberts House Republican 36 $1,545 Sen. Stephanie Bice Senate Republican 22 $1,534 Sen. Gary Stanislawski Senate Republican 35 $1,531 Sen. Jason Smalley Senate Republican 28 $1,481 Rep. John Montgomery House Republican 62 $1,456 Rep. Lee Denney House Republican 33 $1,435 Rep. Doug Cox House Republican 5 $1,414 Rep. Mark McBride House Republican 53 $1,413 Rep. Claudia Griffith House Democrat 45 $1,407 Sen. AJ Griffin Senate Republican 20 $1,407 Rep. Mark Lepak House Republican 9 $1,344 Rep. Shane Stone House Democrat 89 $1,319 Rep. George Young House Democrat 99 $1,268 Rep. Terry O’Donnell House Republican 23 $1,243 Rep. Mike Sanders House Republican 59 $1,219 Rep. Cyndi Munson House Democrat 85 $1,215 Sen. Bryce Marlatt Senate Republican 27 $1,197 Rep. Steve Vaughan House Republican 37 $1,180 Rep. Mike Shelton House Democrat 97 $1,164 Sen. Roger Thompson Senate Republican 8 $1,164 Rep. Lewis Moore House Republican 96 $1,163 Rep. Earl Sears House Republican 11 $1,159 Rep. Emily Virgin House Democrat 44 $1,125 Sen. Ervin Yen Senate Republican 40 $1,096 Rep. Jadine Nollan House Republican 66 $1,085 Sen. J.J. Dossett Senate Democrat 34 $1,082 Rep. Ben Loring House Democrat 7 $1,074 Rep. Ken Walker House Republican 70 $1,068 Rep. Mark McCullough House Republican 30 $1,065 Rep. Harold Wright House Republican 57 $1,062 Rep. John Paul Jordan House Republican 43 $1,060 Rep. Katie Henke House Republican 71 $1,059 Rep. Johnny Tadlock House Democrat 1 $1,054 Sen. Don Barrington Senate Republican 31 $1,048 Rep. Brian Renegar House Democrat 17 $1,042 Rep. Jeff Coody House Republican 63 $1,038 Sen. John Ford Senate Republican 29 $1,007 Rep. Wade Rousselot House Democrat 12 $991 Rep. Jerry Shoemake House Democrat 16 $984 Rep. David Brumbaugh House Republican 76 $982 Rep. Weldon Watson House Republican 79 $974 Rep. Mike Ritze House Republican 80 $970 Rep. Dennis Casey House Republican 35 $965 Rep. Steve Kouplen House Democrat 24 $942 Sen. Charles Wyrick Senate Democrat 1 $916 Sen. Marty Quinn Senate Republican 2 $912 Rep. Leslie Osborn House Republican 47 $905 Sen. Darcy Jech Senate Republican 26 $892 Sen. Clark Jolley Senate Republican 41 $892 Sen. Dan Newberry Senate Republican 37 $881 Sen. Patrick Anderson Senate Republican 19 $872 Sen. John Sparks Senate Democrat 16 $866 Rep. John Enns House Republican 41 $865 Rep. Randy McDaniel House Republican 83 $863 Rep. Travis Dunlap House Republican 10 $847 Rep. Ann Coody House Republican 64 $829 Rep. Dennis Johnson House Republican 50 $803 Rep. Chuck Strohm House Republican 69 $783 Rep. Pam Peterson House Republican 67 $773 Rep. Jeffrey Hickman House Republican 58 $753 Rep. Jeannie McDaniel House Democrat 78 $744 Rep. Regina Goodwin House Democrat 73 $725 Rep. Charles Ortega House Republican 52 $711 Sen. Brian Crain Senate Republican 39 $686 Sen. Corey Brooks Senate Republican 43 $663 Rep. Todd Russ House Republican 55 $662 Rep. Dustin Roberts House Republican 21 $660 Rep. Richard Morrissette House Democrat 92 $660 Rep. Ed Cannaday House Democrat 15 $646 Sen. Kay Floyd Senate Democrat 46 $629 Rep. Jerry McPeak House Democrat 13 $629 Rep. Chuck Hoskin House Democrat 6 $625 Rep. Paul Wesselhoft House Republican 54 $621 Rep. Todd Thomsen House Republican 25 $612 Rep. Jason Nelson House Republican 87 $601 Rep. Dan Kirby House Republican 75 $582 Sen. Josh Brecheen Senate Republican 6 $562 Rep. Cory Williams House Democrat 34 $543 Rep. Kevin Calvey House Republican 82 $539 Sen. Ron Justice Senate Republican 23 $522 Rep. Gary Banz House Republican 101 $521 Rep. Sally Kern House Republican 84 $510 Sen. Susan Paddack Senate Democrat 13 $503 Rep. Lisa Billy House Republican 42 $490 Rep. R.C. Pruett House Democrat 19 $477 Sen. Wayne Shaw Senate Republican 3 $467 Rep. John Bennett House Republican 2 $458 Sen. Frank Simpson Senate Republican 14 $454 Rep. James Lockhart House Democrat 3 $433 Rep. Randy Grau House Republican 81 $427 Rep. Donnie Condit House Democrat 18 $410 Rep. Mike Brown House Democrat 4 $408 Sen. Anastasia Pittman Senate Democrat 48 $395 Sen. Jack Fry Senate Republican 42 $390 Sen. Larry Boggs Senate Republican 7 $382 Sen. Kevin Matthews Senate Democrat 11 $371 Rep. Tommy Hardin House Republican 49 $365 Rep. George Faught House Republican 14 $340 Sen. Nathan Dahm Senate Republican 33 $339 Sen. Bill Brown Senate Republican 36 $328 Sen. Rob Standridge Senate Republican 15 $326 Sen. Joseph Silk Senate Republican 5 $319 Rep. Scott Martin House Republican 46 $299 Rep. David Perryman House Democrat 56 $293 Sen. Kyle Loveless Senate Republican 45 $288 Rep. Marian Cooksey House Republican 39 $281 Rep. Pat Ownbey House Republican 48 $274 Rep. Charlie Joyner House Republican 95 $264 Sen. David Holt Senate Republican 30 $253 Sen. Ralph Shortey Senate Republican 44 $231 Rep. Bobby Cleveland House Republican 20 $216 Sen. Jim Halligan Senate Republican 21 $203 Sen. Mark Allen Senate Republican 4 $192 Rep. Seneca Scott House Democrat 72 $179 Rep. William Fourkiller House Democrat 86 $157 Rep. Mike Christian House Republican 93 $143 Sen. Earl Garrison Senate Democrat 9 $135 Sen. Ron Sharp Senate Republican 17 $134 Sen. Randy Bass Senate Democrat 32 $132 Sen. Mike Mazzei Senate Republican 25 $114 Rep. Dan Fisher House Republican 60 $112 Sen. Anthony Sykes Senate Republican 24 $20 Rep. Elise Hall House Republican 100 $0 Rep. Jason Murphey House Republican 31 $0 TOTAL — — — $83,867