Georgia Code
Article 4 - Public Officials’ Conduct and Lobbyist Disclosure
§ 21-5-71. Registration Required; Application for Registration; Supplemental Registration; Expiration; Docket; Fees; Identification Cards; Public Rosters; Exemptions

The commission shall retain on file the statement required pursuant to paragraph (9) of this subsection and any renewal statements under subsection (d) of this Code section for the duration of the lobbyist’s registration period. A copy of such statement shall be sent to the Legislative Fiscal Office.
(1.1) An employee or independent contractor of a vendor who solely participates in soliciting a bid or in preparing a written bid, written proposal, or other document relating to a potential contract with a state or local government agency or a bona fide salesperson who sells to or contracts with a state or local government agency for goods or services, is not hired specifically to undertake influencing a public officer or state agency in the selection of a vendor to supply any goods or services to any state agency, and does not engage in other activities which would make such person a lobbyist;
(3.1) Any individual who is not compensated for the specific purpose of lobbying, does not incur more than $250.00 per calendar year in reimbursable lobbying expenditures, and is a member, director, trustee, officer, or committee member of a business, trade, labor, farm, professional, religious, educational, or charitable association, foundation, or organization which employs or contracts with a registered lobbyist for the purpose of lobbying;
(6.1) Any employee of the executive or judicial branch of state government; provided, however, that when such an employee is acting on behalf of such government employer, meeting with or appearing before a public officer other than one from the same branch of government which employs such employee, and engaged in activity for which registration would otherwise be required under this Code section, such employee shall be required to display an identification card, issued by such employer, which shall have printed thereon the employee’s name and the name of the employer; or
History. Code 1981, § 21-5-71 , enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1075, § 16; Ga. L. 1994, p. 258, § 14; Ga. L. 2005, p. 859, § 21/HB 48; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-49/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2010, p. 838, § 10/SB 388; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 21/SB 17; Ga. L. 2011, p. 19, § 8/HB 232; Ga. L. 2013, p. 540, § 5/HB 142; Ga. L. 2016, p. 173, § 11/SB 199; Ga. L. 2017, p. 774, § 21/HB 323; Ga. L. 2018, p. 994, § 1/HB 973; Ga. L. 2022, p. 3, § 13/SB 120.
The 2017 amendment, effective May 9, 2017, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, added “or” at the end of paragraph (i)(6.1).
The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2018, deleted “and” at the end of paragraph (b)(7); added “; and” at the end of paragraph (b)(8); added paragraph (b)(9); and added the proviso at the end of subsection (d).
The 2022 amendment, effective March 2, 2022, inserted “in their registration” in the first sentence in subsection (c).
Code Commission notes.
The amendments to subparagraphs (f)(2)(D) and (f)(2)(E) of this Code section by Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-49, irreconcilably conflicted with and were treated as superseded by Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 21. See County of Butts v. Strahan, 151 Ga. 417 (1921); Keener v. McDougall, 232 Ga. 273 (1974).
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 2005, p. 859, § 28/HB 48, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the Act shall not apply to any violation occurring prior to January 9, 2006.
Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 1/SB 17, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act of 2010.’ ”
Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 304/SB 17, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on January 10, 2011, and shall apply to all reports filed on and after such date; provided, however, that if Code Section 45-12-92.1 as enacted by HB 1055 at the regular session of the 2010 General Assembly does not become law, then the following provisions as enacted by this Act shall not become effective and shall be reserved instead: paragraph (2) of subsection (k) of Code Section 21-5-34; paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of Code Section 21-5-50; division (f)(2)(D)(ii) of Code Section 21-5-71; and division (f)(2)(E)(ii) of Code Section 21-5-71.” HB 1055 became effective May 12, 2010.
Ga. L. 2011, p. 19, § 10/HB 232, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. It is the express intention of the General Assembly that this Act be applied retroactively to January 10, 2011, as well as prospectively.” This Act became effective March 15, 2011.
Law reviews.
For article on the 2005 amendment of this Code section, see 22 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 119 (2005).
For article on the 2013 amendment of this Code section, see 30 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 129 (2013).