As used in this article, the term:

(1) "Expenditure":

(A) Means a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or conveyance of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the actions of any public officer or public employee;

(B) Includes any other form of payment when such can be reasonably construed as designed to encourage or influence a public officer;

(C) Includes any gratuitous transfer, payment, subscription, advance, or deposit of money, services, or anything of value, unless consideration of equal or greater value is received;

(D) Notwithstanding division (x) of subparagraph (E) of this paragraph, includes food or beverage consumed at a single meal or event by a public officer or public employee or a member of the immediate family of such public officer or public employee; and

(E) The term shall not include:

(i) The value of personal services performed by persons who serve voluntarily without compensation from any source;

(ii) A gift received from a member of the public officer's immediate family;

(iii) Legal compensation or expense reimbursement provided public employees and public officers in the performance of their duties;

(iv) Promotional items generally distributed to the general public or to public officers and food and beverages produced in Georgia;

(v) An award, plaque, certificate, memento, or similar item given in recognition of the recipient's civic, charitable, political, professional, or public service;

(vi) Legitimate salary, benefits, fees, commissions, or expenses associated with a recipient's nonpublic business, employment, trade, or profession;

(vii) Food, beverages, and registration at group events to which all members of an agency, as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 21-5-30.2, are invited. An agency shall include the Georgia House of Representatives, the Georgia Senate, committees and subcommittees of such bodies, and the governing body of each political subdivision of this state;

(viii) Campaign contributions or expenditures reported as required by Article 2 of this chapter; (ix) A commercially reasonable loan made in the ordinary course of business; or

(x) Food, beverage, or expenses afforded public officers, members of their immediate families, or others that are associated with normal and customary business or social functions or activities.

(2) "Filed" means the delivery to the State Ethics Commission, as specified in this article, of a document that satisfies the requirements of this article. A document is considered delivered when it is placed in the United States mail within the required filing time, properly addressed to the State Ethics Commission, as specified in this article, with adequate postage affixed.

(3) "Identifiable group of public officers" means a description that is specifically determinable by available public records.

(4) "Immediate family" means a spouse or child.

(5) "Lobbying" means the activity of a lobbyist while acting in that capacity.

(6) "Lobbyist" means:

(A) Any natural person who, for compensation, either individually or as an employee of another person, undertakes to promote or oppose the passage of any legislation by the General Assembly, or any committee thereof, or the approval or veto of legislation by the Governor;

(B) Any natural person who makes a total expenditure of more than $250.00 in a calendar year, not including the person's own travel, food, lodging expenses, or informational material to promote or oppose the passage of any legislation by the General Assembly, or any committee thereof, or the approval or veto of legislation by the Governor;

(C) Any natural person who as an employee of the executive branch or judicial branch of state government engages in any activity covered under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

(D) Any natural person who, for compensation, either individually or as an employee of another person, undertakes to promote or oppose the passage of any ordinance or resolution by a public officer specified under subparagraph (F) or (G) of paragraph (15) of Code Section 21-5-3, or any committee of such public officers, or the approval or veto of any such ordinance or resolution;

(E) Any natural person who makes a total expenditure of more than $250.00 in a calendar year, not including the person's own travel, food, lodging expenses, or informational material to promote or oppose the passage of any ordinance or resolution by a public officer specified under subparagraph (F) or (G) of paragraph (15) of Code Section 21-5-3, or any committee of such public officers or the approval or veto of any such ordinance or resolution; or

(F) Any natural person who as an employee of the executive branch or judicial branch of local government engages in any activity covered under subparagraph (D) of this paragraph.

(7) "Public officer" means those public officers specified under subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (15) of Code Section 21-5-3, as amended, except as otherwise provided in this article.