§ 2.35.030. Exemptions.

A.

This chapter does not apply to

1.

An individual:

a.

Who lobbies without payment of compensation or other consideration and makes no disbursement or expenditure for or on behalf of a public official to influence legislative or administrative action other than to pay the individual's reasonable personal travel and living expenses; and

b.

Who limits lobbying activities to appearances before public sessions of the assembly or school board or a committee or subcommittee of such bodies, or to public hearings or other public proceedings of municipal agencies.

2.

An elected or appointed federal, state, borough or municipal public officer or to an employee of a state, borough, municipality, or the federal government, when acting in an official capacity within the scope of public employment.

3.

Any newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, book publisher, radio or television station (including an individual who owns, publishes, or is employed by that newspaper or periodical, radio or television station) that publishes news items, editorials, or other comments, or paid advertisements, that directly or indirectly urge legislative or administrative action if the newspaper, periodical, book publisher, radio or television station, or individual engages in no further activities in connection with urging or advocating legislative or administrative action other than to appear before public sessions of the assembly or school board or a committee or subcommittee of such bodies, or public hearings or other public proceedings of municipal agencies and identifying themselves as covered by this subsection.

4.

A person who appears before an elected or appointed body, in response to an invitation, not including a notice of public hearing, by the body.

B.

Nothing in this chapter may be construed as prohibiting or affecting the rendering of professional services in drafting legislative measures or in advising clients and in rendering opinions as to the construction or effect of proposed or pending legislative or administrative action when these professional services are not otherwise connected with influencing or attempting to influence legislative or administrative action.

C.

Nothing in this chapter prevents members of an elected or appointed body from discussing with constituents the advisability or passing or adopting legislative type ordinances, resolutions, motions or other actions, then pending before, or proposed to be presented to, the elected or appointed body, provided such are not quasi-judicial actions of the body subject to the rules against ex parte contacts.

D.

An individual exempt from this chapter may nonetheless register and report under this chapter.

(AO No. 2000-68(S-1), § 1, 8-15-00; AO No. 2006-140(S-1), § 4, 1-1-07)