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SB 459 - Lobbyists - registration fees

Starr, Terrell (44th)	Walker, Charles W (22nd)	Johnson, Eric B (1st)
Thompson, Steve (33rd)

Status Summary	SC:	Ethics	HC:	Rules	FR:	02/16/00	LA:	03/20/00	H - Favorably Reported (CS )

First Reader Summary

A bill to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 21-5-71 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to registration of and reporting by lobbyists, so as to provide for fees to be charged and collected for registration of lobbyists; to eliminate fees for lobbyist identification cards; to provide for late fees for filing of untimely reports; to authorize changes in such fees under certain circumstances by rule or regulation of the State Ethics Commission; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

SB 459 00                                         LC 14 7477S 
                                                       (SCS) 
      SENATE BILL 459 
 
      By:  Senators Starr of the 44th, Walker of the 22nd, 
           Johnson of the 1st and Thompson of the 33rd 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Title 21 of the Official 
  1- 2  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of 
  1- 3  lobbyists and lobbying, so as to change provisions relating 
  1- 4  to required registrations and supplemental registrations; to 
  1- 5  provide for fees to be charged and collected for 
  1- 6  registration of lobbyists; to provide for late fees for 
  1- 7  untimely filings; to provide for related matters; to provide 
  1- 8  for an effective date and for applicability; to repeal 
  1- 9  conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1-10       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1-11                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-12  Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Title 21 of the Official Code of 
  1-13  Georgia Annotated, relating to regulation of lobbyists and 
  1-14  lobbying, is amended by striking subsections (b) and (c) of 
  1-15  Code Section 21-5-71, relating to registration of lobbyists, 
  1-16  and inserting in their place new subsections to read as 
  1-17  follows: 
 
  1-18    "(b) Each lobbyist shall file an application for 
  1-19    registration with the commission. The initial application 
  1-20    shall be for the lobbyist's representation of a single 
  1-21    entity. For each additional entity represented by the 
  1-22    lobbyist, he or she shall file a supplemental registration 
  1-23    as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section. The 
  1-24    application shall be verified by the applicant and shall 
  1-25    contain: 
 
  1-26      (1) The applicant's name, address, and telephone number; 
 
  1-27      (2) The name, address, and telephone number of the 
  1-28      person or agency that employs, appoints, or authorizes 
  1-29      the applicant to lobby on its behalf; 
 
  1-30      (3) A statement of the general business or purpose of 
  1-31      each person, firm, corporation, association, or agency 
  1-32      the applicant represents; 
 
 
 
 
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  2- 1      (4) If the applicant represents a membership group other 
  2- 2      than an agency or corporation, the general purpose and 
  2- 3      approximate number of members of the organization; and 
 
  2- 4      (5) A statement signed by the person or agency 
  2- 5      employing, appointing, or authorizing the applicant to 
  2- 6      lobby on its behalf. 
 
  2- 7    (c) The lobbyist shall file a supplemental registration 
  2- 8    for each additional entity represented and shall also, 
  2- 9    within seven days of any substantial or material change or 
  2-10    addition, file a supplemental registration indicating such 
  2-11    substantial or material change or addition to the 
  2-12    registration prior to its expiration.  Previously filed 
  2-13    information may be incorporated by reference. Substantial 
  2-14    or material changes or additions shall include, but are 
  2-15    not limited to, the pertinent information concerning 
  2-16    changes or additions to client and employment information 
  2-17    required by paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (b) 
  2-18    of this Code section." 
 
  2-19                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2-20  Said article is further amended by striking subsection (f) 
  2-21  of said Code Section 21-5-71 and inserting new subsections 
  2-22  (e.1) and (f) to read as follows: 
 
  2-23      "(f)(e.1)(1) Each person registering under this Code 
  2-24      section shall pay the registration fees set forth in 
  2-25      paragraph (2) of this subsection; provided, however, 
  2-26      that a person who represents any state, county, 
  2-27      municipal, or public agency, department, commission, or 
  2-28      authority shall be exempted from payment of such 
  2-29      registration fees. and a person employed by an 
  2-30      organization exempt from federal income taxation under 
  2-31      Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue 
  2-32      Code, as that code is defined in Code Section 48-1-2, 
  2-33      shall be exempted from payment of such registration fees 
  2-34      except for payment of an initial registration fee of 
  2-35      $25.00. 
 
  2-36      (2) The commission shall collect the following fees: 
 
  2-37        (A) Annual Initial lobbyist 
  2-38        registration filed pursuant to this 
  2-39        Code section for representation of 
  2-40        a single entity......................$ 200.00 $  45.00 
 
  2-41        (B) Lobbyist supplemental 
  2-42        registration filed pursuant to this 
 
 
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  3- 1        Code section for each additional 
  3- 2        entity or for a change or addition 
  3- 3        to a prior registration..............   10.00    45.00 
 
  3- 4        (C) Each lobbyist identification 
  3- 5        card issued pursuant to this Code 
  3- 6        section.......................................    5.00 
 
  3- 7        (D)(C) In addition to other 
  3- 8        penalties provided under this 
  3- 9        chapter, a filing fee of $50.00 
  3-10        shall be imposed for each report 
  3-11        that is filed late.  In addition, a 
  3-12        filing fee of $25.00 shall be 
  3-13        imposed on the fifteenth day after 
  3-14        the due date if the report has 
  3-15        still not been filed. 
 
  3-16    (f) Reserved." 
 
  3-17                           SECTION 3. 
 
  3-18  This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2000, and shall 
  3-19  apply to registrations filed on or after that effective 
  3-20  date. 
 
  3-21                           SECTION 4. 
 
  3-22  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  3-23  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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