HARRISBURG -- Last month, a coalition of citizens groups pressured state legislators into repealing the pay raises they gave themselves, judges and Gov. Ed Rendell's cabinet members.

Now, Common Cause, Democracy Rising, the Commonwealth Foundation, the League of Women Voters and their allies are shifting into the second phase of their "good government" campaign; they're trying to get the Legislature to force special-interest lobbyists to register with the state and disclose how much they spend to influence the enactment of laws.

"Pennsylvania is at the bottom on lobbying regulation," Common Cause leader Barry Kauffman said at a news conference here yesterday.

"Pennsylvania is the only state in our nation that has failed to have a statute on the books requiring oversight of lobbyists' activities. There is no law requiring them to register and no law requiring them to periodically disclose [what they spend] attempting to manipulate public policies."

Tim Potts of Democracy Rising, who wants more openness in government, added, "For Pennsylvania not to have such a law is even more scandalous and corrupt than the pay raise. It shames representative democracy."

The critics trained their fire on one legislator in particular -- House Speaker John Perzel, R-Philadelphia, who has consistently said he sees no need to require lobbyists to detail their clients or how much they spend on dinners, drinks, gifts or trips for legislators.

"Pennsylvania citizens are watching, Speaker Perzel," Mr. Kauffman said. "In this post pay-raise scandal environment, this will be the first test of good faith that you truly want to clean up our state government. Bring Senate Bill 1 [on lobbyist registration] to a vote and let the sun shine on lobbying."

The Senate approved that bill in April. It was introduced by President Pro Tem Robert Jubelirer, R-Altoona, and would require lobbyists to register, and those who spend at least $2,500 per quarter on lobbying activities to file reports. But the House hasn't acted on the bill.

The Senate passed a separate resolution requiring lobbyists who deal with senators to register with the Senate. Any individual, firm or partnership that spends $2,500 in any three-month period to lobby state senators must register with and report their expenditures to the secretary of the Senate. The House has no such registration requirement.

Mr. Perzel has said the voters he's talked to aren't demanding such a law, nor are his House GOP members. He said the main people seeking such a lobbyist disclosure law are news reporters.

"When you talk to most Pennsylvanians, the type of reform they want is property tax reform," insisted Beth Williams, a Perzel aide. "You have to ask yourself, is there support among House members for [a lobbyist law]? Is this something they feel strongly about?"

She said the fact that Mr. Perzel allowed the pay raise repeal bill to come up for a vote in November shows that he listens to his members when an issue is important.

Mr. Perzel may be hearing more about a lobbyist law from his colleagues. A group of seven House Republicans has put forth a platform they are calling the Jefferson Reform Initiative, which lists passage of a lobbyist disclosure law as a major priority. But whether those seven members can force Mr. Perzel to bring a bill up for a vote in the House remains to be seen.

Rep. John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair, isn't a member of that group but also has consistently called for enactment of lobbyist registration legislation.

Mr. Potts said Pennsylvanians have a right to know how much special interests are spending on legislators to influence the laws that are passed.

Mr. Potts said that according to a recent poll by IssuesPA -- part of the Pennsylvania Economy League -- 66 percent of the respondents "want a law prohibiting lobbyists from giving anything of value to public officials."

Other states have interpreted that to mean that a lobbyist can't even buy a cup of coffee for a legislator, he said.

That same poll also said that 87 percent of the respondents wanted a law "requiring lobbyists to disclose all expenditures."