§ 2-250.14. Exceptions.

The following persons are not required to register under section 2-250.15 or file an activity report under section 2-250.16:

(a)

Media outlets. A person who owns, publishes or is employed by;

(1)

A newspaper;

(2)

Any other regularly published periodical;

(3)

A radio station;

(4)

A television station;

(5)

A wire service, or

(6)

Any other bona fide news medium.

that in the ordinary course of business disseminates news, opinion, or paid advertisements that directly or indirectly oppose or promote municipal questions or seek to influence official action relating thereto, if the person does not engage in other activities that require registration under this subdivision. This subsection does not exempt a person whose relation to the news media is only incidental to a lobbying effort or if a position taken or advocated by a media outlet directly impacts, affects, or seeks, to influence a municipal question in which the media outlet has a direct or indirect economic interest.

(b)

Mobilizing entity constituents. A person whose only activity is to encourage or solicit the members, employees, or owners (including shareholders) of an entity by whom the person is compensated to communicate directly with one or more city officials to influence municipal questions.

(c)

Governmental entities. Governmental entities and their officials and employees, provided the communications relate to solely to subjects of governmental interest concerning the respective governmental bodies and the city.

(d)

Unknown municipal questions. A person who does not know and has no reason to know that a municipal question is pending at the time of contact with a city official. This subsection does not apply if the existence of a municipal question is discovered during on-going contacts with a city official and the person then engages in additional lobbying of the same official or other city officials with respect to that municipal question.

(e)

Dispute resolution. An attorney or other person whose contact with a city official is made solely as part of resolving a dispute with the city, provided that the contact is solely with the city officials who do not vote on or have final authority over any municipal question involved.

(f)

Compensation of a registrant. A client who would only be required to register under section 2-250.13 because of an expenditure to compensate a registrant, other than an employee, to lobby on a municipal question of interest to the client, provided that the compensated registrant files a registration statement or activity report for the period in question.

(g)

Agent or employee. An agent or employee of a lobbying firm or other registrant that files a registration statement or activity report for the period in question fully disclosing all relevant information known to the agent or employees.

(Ord. No. 06-22, § 1(part E, § 4), 9-5-2006)