As used in section 105.473, unless the context requires otherwise, the following words and terms mean:

(1) “Elected local government official lobbyist”, any natural person employed specifically for the purpose of attempting to influence any action by a local government official elected in a county, city, town, or village with an annual operating budget of over ten million dollars;

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(2) “Executive lobbyist”, any natural person who acts for the purpose of attempting to influence any action by the executive branch of government or by any elected or appointed official, employee, department, division, agency or board or commission thereof and in connection with such activity, meets the requirements of any one or more of the following:

(a) Is acting in the ordinary course of employment on behalf of or for the benefit of such person’s employer; or

(b) Is engaged for pay or for any valuable consideration for the purpose of performing such activity; or

(c) Is designated to act as a lobbyist by any person, business entity, governmental entity, religious organization, nonprofit corporation, association or other entity; or

(d) Makes total expenditures of fifty dollars or more during the twelve-month period beginning January first and ending December thirty-first for the benefit of one or more public officials or one or more employees of the executive branch of state government in connection with such activity.

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An “executive lobbyist” shall not include a member of the general assembly, an elected state official, or any other person solely due to such person’s participation in any of the following activities:

a. Appearing or inquiring in regard to a complaint, citation, summons, adversary proceeding, or contested case before a state board, commission, department, division or agency of the executive branch of government or any elected or appointed officer or employee thereof;

b. Preparing, filing or inquiring, or responding to any audit, regarding any tax return, any public document, permit or contract, any application for any permit or license or certificate, or any document required or requested to be filed with the state or a political subdivision;

c. Selling of goods or services to be paid for by public funds, provided that such person is attempting to influence only the person authorized to authorize or enter into a contract to purchase the goods or services being offered for sale;

d. Participating in public hearings or public proceedings on rules, grants, or other matters;

e. Responding to any request for information made by any public official or employee of the executive branch of government;

f. Preparing or publication of an editorial, a newsletter, newspaper, magazine, radio or television broadcast, or similar news medium, whether print or electronic;

g. Acting within the scope of employment by the general assembly, or acting within the scope of employment by the executive branch of government when acting with respect to the department, division, board, commission, agency or elected state officer by which such person is employed, or with respect to any duty or authority imposed by law to perform any action in conjunction with any other public official or state employee; or

h. Testifying as a witness before a state board, commission or agency of the executive branch;

(3) “Expenditure”, any payment made or charge, expense, cost, debt or bill incurred; any gift, honorarium or item of value bestowed including any food or beverage; any price, charge or fee which is waived, forgiven, reduced or indefinitely delayed; any loan or debt which is cancelled, reduced or otherwise forgiven; the transfer of any item with a reasonably discernible cost or fair market value from one person to another or provision of any service or granting of any opportunity for which a charge is customarily made, without charge or for a reduced charge; except that the term “expenditure” shall not include the following:

(a) Any item, service or thing of value transferred to any person within the third degree of consanguinity of the transferor which is unrelated to any activity of the transferor as a lobbyist;

(b) Informational material such as books, reports, pamphlets, calendars or periodicals informing a public official regarding such person’s official duties, or souvenirs or mementos valued at less than ten dollars;

(c) Contributions to the public official’s campaign committee or candidate committee which are reported pursuant to the provisions of chapter 130;

(d) Any loan made or other credit accommodations granted or other payments made by any person or entity which extends credit or makes loan accommodations or such payments in the regular ordinary scope and course of business, provided that such are extended, made or granted in the ordinary course of such person’s or entity’s business to persons who are not public officials;

(e) Any item, service or thing of de minimis value offered to the general public, whether or not the recipient is a public official or a staff member, employee, spouse or dependent child of a public official, and only if the grant of the item, service or thing of de minimis value is not motivated in any way by the recipient’s status as a public official or staff member, employee, spouse or dependent child of a public official;

(f) The transfer of any item, provision of any service or granting of any opportunity with a reasonably discernible cost or fair market value when such item, service or opportunity is necessary for a public official or employee to perform his or her duty in his or her official capacity, including but not limited to entrance fees to any sporting event, museum, or other venue when the official or employee is participating in a ceremony, public presentation or official meeting therein;

(g) Any payment, gift, compensation, fee, expenditure or anything of value which is bestowed upon or given to any public official or a staff member, employee, spouse or dependent child of a public official when it is compensation for employment or given as an employment benefit and when such employment is in addition to their employment as a public official;

(4) “Judicial lobbyist”, any natural person who acts for the purpose of attempting to influence any purchasing decision by the judicial branch of government or by any elected or appointed official or any employee thereof and in connection with such activity, meets the requirements of any one or more of the following:

(a) Is acting in the ordinary course of employment which primary purpose is to influence the judiciary in its purchasing decisions on a regular basis on behalf of or for the benefit of such person’s employer, except that this shall not apply to any person who engages in lobbying on an occasional basis only and not as a regular pattern of conduct; or

(b) Is engaged for pay or for any valuable consideration for the purpose of performing such activity; or

(c) Is designated to act as a lobbyist by any person, business entity, governmental entity, religious organization, nonprofit corporation or association; or

(d) Makes total expenditures of fifty dollars or more during the twelve-month period beginning January first and ending December thirty-first for the benefit of one or more public officials or one or more employees of the judicial branch of state government in connection with attempting to influence such purchasing decisions by the judiciary.

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A “judicial lobbyist” shall not include a member of the general assembly, an elected state official, or any other person solely due to such person’s participation in any of the following activities:

a. Appearing or inquiring in regard to a complaint, citation, summons, adversary proceeding, or contested case before a state court;

b. Participating in public hearings or public proceedings on rules, grants, or other matters;

c. Responding to any request for information made by any judge or employee of the judicial branch of government;

d. Preparing, distributing or publication of an editorial, a newsletter, newspaper, magazine, radio or television broadcast, or similar news medium, whether print or electronic; or

e. Acting within the scope of employment by the general assembly, or acting within the scope of employment by the executive branch of government when acting with respect to the department, division, board, commission, agency or elected state officer by which such person is employed, or with respect to any duty or authority imposed by law to perform any action in conjunction with any other public official or state employee;

(5) “Legislative lobbyist”, any natural person who acts for the purpose of attempting to influence the taking, passage, amendment, delay or defeat of any official action on any bill, resolution, amendment, nomination, appointment, report or any other action or any other matter pending or proposed in a legislative committee in either house of the general assembly, or in any matter which may be the subject of action by the general assembly and in connection with such activity, meets the requirements of any one or more of the following:

(a) Is acting in the ordinary course of employment, which primary purpose is to influence legislation on a regular basis, on behalf of or for the benefit of such person’s employer, except that this shall not apply to any person who engages in lobbying on an occasional basis only and not as a regular pattern of conduct; or

(b) Is engaged for pay or for any valuable consideration for the purpose of performing such activity; or

(c) Is designated to act as a lobbyist by any person, business entity, governmental entity, religious organization, nonprofit corporation, association or other entity; or

(d) Makes total expenditures of fifty dollars or more during the twelve-month period beginning January first and ending December thirty-first for the benefit of one or more public officials or one or more employees of the legislative branch of state government in connection with such activity.

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A “legislative lobbyist” shall include an attorney at law engaged in activities on behalf of any person unless excluded by any of the following exceptions. A “legislative lobbyist” shall not include any legislative liaison. For purposes of this subdivision, “legislative liaison” means any state employee hired to communicate with members of the general assembly on behalf of any elected official of the state; the judicial branch of state government; or any department, agency, board, or commission of the state, provided such entity is a part of the executive branch of state government. Any state employee employed as a legislative liaison who performs lobbying services for any other entity shall register as a lobbyist with respect to such lobbying services. A “legislative lobbyist” shall also not include any member of the general assembly, an elected state official, or any other person solely due to such person’s participation in any of the following activities:

a. Responding to any request for information made by any public official or employee of the legislative branch of government;

b. Preparing or publication of an editorial, a newsletter, newspaper, magazine, radio or television broadcast, or similar news medium, whether print or electronic;

c. Acting within the scope of employment of the legislative branch of government when acting with respect to the general assembly or any member thereof;

d. Testifying as a witness before the general assembly or any committee thereof;

(6) “Lobbyist”, any natural person defined as an executive lobbyist, judicial lobbyist, elected local government official lobbyist, or a legislative lobbyist;

(7) “Lobbyist principal”, any person, business entity, governmental entity, religious organization, nonprofit corporation or association who employs, contracts for pay or otherwise compensates a lobbyist;

(8) “Public official”, any member or member-elect of the general assembly, judge or judicial officer, or any other person holding an elective office of state government or any agency head, department director or division director of state government or any member of any state board or commission and any designated decision-making public servant designated by persons described in this subdivision.