Sec. 6. (a) The provisions of this chapter and IC 2-7-3 are not applicable to any full-time or part-time public official acting in his official capacity or any full-time or part-time public employee in Indiana acting within the scope of his employment.

     (b) The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to any newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, book publisher, news wire service, radio or television station (including any individual who owns, publishes, or is employed by any such newspaper or periodical, radio or television station) which in the ordinary course of business publishes news items, editorials, or other comments, or paid advertisement, which directly or indirectly urge legislative action if such newspaper, periodical, book publisher, radio or television station, or individual engages in no further or other activities in connection with urging legislative action other than to appear before a committee of the legislature in support of or in opposition to such action.

     (c) The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to an individual invited, by any member of the general assembly, to testify before the general assembly or a legislative committee at the time the individual is testifying.

     (d) The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to any officer or employee of the state central committee of a political party while acting within the scope of his employment.

     (e) This chapter does not apply to a person whose lobbying services are performed without compensation.

     (f) Notwithstanding the definition of “lobbying” as specified in IC 2-7-1-9, in no instance shall the language of this chapter be construed to prohibit in any way free and open communication between any citizen of this state and members of the general assembly.

     (g) This article does not apply to:

(1) an insurance policy;

(2) a credit card agreement;

(3) a recorded mortgage secured by real property; or

(4) a written agreement with a financial institution (as defined in IC 28-1-1-3);

if the insurance policy, credit card, mortgage, or agreement was issued or made in the ordinary course of business.

     (h) This article does not apply to compensation paid to the spouse of a legislator for goods or services provided by the spouse in the ordinary course of business to a lobbyist or a lobbyist’s employer.

     (i) The items to which this article does not apply under subsection (g) or (h) shall not be included in activity reports filed under IC 2-7-3-3.

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.9, SEC.1. Amended by Acts 1982, P.L.9, SEC.4; P.L.3-1992, SEC.9; P.L.9-1993, SEC.10.