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Lobbying organizations in Wisconsin spent just under $8 million more on their efforts influencing policy in the 2017-18 session than they did the session prior, according to data submitted to the state’s Ethics Commission.

Initial figures reported Friday show nearly 800 lobbying organizations racked up about $70 million and the equivalent of about 15,585 days, or 43 years, of work attempting to sway the course of Wisconsin lawmakers and officials.

That’s just under $8 million more than the $63 million lobbying groups spent over the 2015-16 legislative session, despite logging slightly more time: the equivalent of about 15,987 days, or about 44 years, of work.

Lobbying organizations are required by state law to report the total amount of time and dollars spent directly communicating with lawmakers or state officials, as well as the time and money spent preparing and researching for communications affecting current or future areas of legislation.

For Matt Rothschild, the executive director of the nonprofit Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, an open government advocacy group, the increased amount of money spent on lobbying in the state is a harm for democracy.