California’s Lobbyist Exemptions

California’s Political Reform Act contains detailed laws related to lobbyists in Chapter 6. Article 3 of Chapter 6 deals with Exemptions and contains Government Code Section 86300. Section 86300 specifies that the provisions related to lobbyists are not applicable to the following:

• Any elected public official acting in the official’s official capacity, or any employee of the State of California acting within the scope of the employee’s employment; provided that, an employee of the State of California, other than a legislative official, who attempts to influence legislative action and who would be required to register as a lobbyist except for the provisions of this subdivision is prohibited from making gifts of more than $10 in a calendar month to an elected state officer or legislative official; or

• Any newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, book publisher, radio or television station (including any individual who owns, publishes, or is employed by any such newspaper or periodical or radio or television station) which in the ordinary course of business publishes news items, editorials, or other comments, or paid advertisement, which directly or indirectly urge legislative or administrative action if such newspaper, periodical, book publisher, radio or television station, or individual, engages in no further or other activities in connection with urging legislative or administrative action other than to appear before a committee of the Legislature or before a state agency in support of or in opposition to such action; or

• A person when representing a bona fide church or religious society solely for the purpose of protecting the public right to practice the doctrines of such church.