PROVISIONS:

• Returns rule making authority to the Commission under the Georgia Administrative Procedures Act
• Bans all lobbyist expenditures for individual legislators
• Allows expenditures for food, beverages, and registration at group events that are open to all members of an agency, including the General Assembly
• Allows fees to be paid paid to a public officer for speaking engagements and meetings only if they are directly related to their official duties
• Expands the definition of who needs to register as a lobbyist: any person who receives compensation or provides pro bono services for advocating a position or agenda for the purpose of influencing the decision making of a public officer of the executive or legislative branch of state government
• Reduces the lobbyist registration fee from $300 to $25
• Provides an exemption for filing of reports if individual lobbies pro bono on behalf of an organization but does not have lobbyist expenditures. Such individuals must file a statement of intent not to incur lobbyist expenditures during the calendar year, and if they do begin to incur such expenditures, they must begin filing reports for the remainder of the calendar year.
• Provides an exemption from registering as a lobbyist for individuals who are at the Capitol speaking on behalf of an organization for less than 5 days in a calendar year, provided they are not compensated to do so.
• Requires lobbyists or those who are required to register to wear their badges while meeting with public officers at the Capitol or at the Legislative Office Building when speaking to public officers unless the lobbyist is a resident of that public officer's district;