Are you a lobbyist?

Expenditure...
means a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or conveyance of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the actions of any public officer specifically including any such transaction which is made on behalf of or for the benefit of a public employee for the purpose of influencing a public officer .
Includes:
Any form of payment or anything of value designed to encourage or influence a public officer (includes any transfer, payment, subscription, advance, deposit of money or services) and specifically includes any such transaction made for the benefit of a public employee;
Reimbursement or payment of expenses exceeding $75.00 provided to a public officer from any individual lobbyist for transportation, travel, lodging, registration, food, and beverages
Any gratuitous transfer, payment, subscription, advance, or deposit of money, services, tickets for admission to athletic, sporting, recreational, musical concert, or other entertainment events, or anything of value, unless consideration of equal or greater than face value is received;
Includes reimbursement or payment of expenses for recreational or leisure activities.
In any case where lobbying expenditures are reported, the lobbyist shall certify on the disclosure report that no lobbying expenditure made on behalf of or for the benefit of any individual public officer exceeded $75.00.

CATAGORIES

Meals

Lodging

Travel

Tickets

For more information contact the Education and Information Division or visit our website www.ethics.ga.gov
DeAngelo Hall Education Support Specialist
dhall@ethics.ga.gov
Samantha Jenkins Education Support Specialist
sjenkins@ethics.ga.gov
Maria Bazile Education Coordinator mbazile@ethics.ga.gov
Holly LaBerge Executive Secretary hlaberge@ethics.ga.gov
The commission offers FREE training workshops through out the year. Visit
our website www.ethics.ga.gov and click on the education link to view workshops and RSVP your attendance.
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This guide is intended only as a summary to aid in understanding the Act. For the law's complete requirements, consult the Act itself, codified at Title 21 Chapter 5 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated.

ARE YOU A LOBBYIST?
GEORGIA GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMMISSION 200 Piedmont Ave SE Suite 1402-West Tower Atlanta GA 30334 404-463-1980 404-463-1988 www.ethics.ga.gov

Each lobbyist shall file an application for registration with the Commission. The commission shall not allow a person who has been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude in the courts of this state or an offense that, had it occurred in this state, would constitute a felony involving moral turpitude under the laws of this state to become a registered lobbyist unless ten years or more have elapsed since the completion of the person's sentence.
Filers must complete and mail or hand deliver the original Lobbyist Registration Application for each group represented.
Registration fees include: $??.00 per supplemental report and $??.00 for each lobbyist badge.
The Commission must receive a Lobbyist Personal Identification Number Application from the lobbyist.
All lobbyist reports are filed electronically with the C.F.C utilizing the online filing systems.
If the report contains any expenditures relating to county or county school districts, a copy must be filed with the election superintendent of each county involved.
If the report contains any expenditures relating to municipal affairs or independent school districts, a copy must be filed with the municipal clerk or chief executive officer of each municipality in which the expense is related.
Reports filed by lobbyists shall include a description of all expenditures, as defined in Code Section 21-5-70, or the value thereof made by the lobbyist or employees of the lobbyist on behalf of or for the benefit of a public officer.

LEVELS OF LOBBYING
State Level
An individual who receives or anticipates receiving more than $250.00 per calendar year in compensation or reimbursement or payment of expenses specifically for undertaking to promote or oppose the passage of any legislation by the General Assembly, or any committee of either chamber or a joint committee thereof or any committee thereof, or the approval or veto of legislation by the Governor; or
Any individual who makes a total lobbying expenditure of more than $1,000.00 in a calendar year, not including the person's own travel, food, lodging expenses, or informational material, to promote or oppose the passage of any legislation by the General Assembly, or any committee of either chamber or a joint committee thereof, or the approval or veto of legislation by the Governor.
Local Level
An individual who, either individually or as an employee of another person or an employee of the executive branch or judicial branch of local government, is compensated specifically to promote or oppose the passage of any ordinance or resolution by a public officer at the city or county level, or any committee of such public officers, or the approval or veto of any such ordinance or resolution.
Any individual who makes a lobbying expenditure of more than $1,000.00 in a calendar year, not including the person's own travel, food, lodging expenses, or informational material, to promote or oppose the passage of any ordinance or resolution by a public officer at the city or county level, or any committee of such public officers, or the approval or veto of any such ordinance or resolution.

Vendor Level
An individual who for compensation, either individually or as an employee of another person, is hired specifically to influence a public officer or state agency in the selection of a vendor to supply any goods or services to any state agency.
A vendor lobbyist is not a bona fide salesperson who sells to or contracts with a state agency for goods and services. Vendor lobbyist does not include an employee of a vendor who performs administrative duties in preparing a bid or proposal.
State Agency Level
An individual hired who, either individually or as an employee of another person, is compensated specifically to promote or oppose the passage of any rule or regulation of any state agency
(State Agency means any branch of state government or any agency, authority, department, board, bureau, commission, council, corporation, entity, or instrumentality of this state or local political subdivision of this state)
State Transportation Board
An individual who, either individually or as an employee of another person, is compensated specifically to promote or oppose any matter before the State Transportation Board.
Any natural person who makes a total lobbying expenditure of more than $1,000.00 in a calendar year, not including the person's own travel, food, lodging expenses, or informational material, to promote or oppose any matter before the State Transportation Board.