As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) "Administrator" means the office created in subsection (a) of Code Section 10-1-395.

(2) "Charitable organization" means any benevolent, philanthropic, patriotic, or eleemosynary (of, relating to, or supported by charity or alms) person, as that term is defined in this Code section, who solicits or obtains contributions solicited from the general public, any part of which contributions is used for charitable purposes; and any person who or which falsely represents himself or itself to be a charitable organization as defined by this paragraph. The term charitable organization shall not include a religious organization as defined in paragraph (12) of this Code section.

(3) "Charitable purpose" means any charitable, benevolent, philanthropic, patriotic, or eleemosynary purpose for religion, health, education, social welfare, arts and humanities, environment, civic, or public interest; and any purpose which is falsely represented to be a charitable purpose as defined by this paragraph.

(4) "Charitable sales promotion" means an advertising or sales campaign, conducted by a commercial coventurer, which represents that the purchase or use of goods or services offered by the commercial coventurer will benefit, in whole or in part, a charitable organization or purpose.

(5) "Commercial coventurer" means a person who for profit is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce other than in connection with soliciting for charitable organizations or purposes and who conducts a charitable sales promotion.

(6) "Contribution" means the promise or grant of any money or property of any kind or value.

(7) "Executive officer" means the chief executive officer, the president, the principal financial officer, the principal operating officer, each vice president with responsibility involving policy-making functions for a significant aspect of a person's business, the secretary, the treasurer, or any other person performing similar functions with respect to any organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated.

(8) "Fundraising counsel" means any person who, for compensation, plans, manages, advises, consults, or prepares material for, or with respect to, the solicitation in this state of contributions for a charitable organization, but who does not solicit contributions and who does not employ, procure, or engage any compensated person to solicit contributions. A lawyer, accountant, investment counselor, or banker who, solely incidental to his or her profession, renders professional services to a charitable organization, paid solicitor, or fundraising counsel or advises a person to make a contribution or holds charitable funds subject to an escrow or trust agreement shall not be deemed, as a result of such actions, to be a fundraising counsel. A bona fide salaried officer, employee, or volunteer of a charitable organization shall not be deemed to be a fundraising counsel.

(9) "Membership" or "member" means a status by which, for the payment of fees, dues, assessments, and other similar payments, an organization provides services to the payor and confers on the payor a bona fide right, privilege, professional standing, honor, or other direct benefit other than the right to vote, elect officers, or hold offices. The term "membership" or "member" shall not be construed to apply to a person on whom an organization confers a membership solely as a consideration for making a contribution.

(10) "Paid solicitor" means a person other than a commercial coventurer or charitable organization who, for compensation, performs for a charitable organization any service in connection with which contributions are, or will be, solicited within or from this state by such compensated person or by any compensated person he employs, procures, or engages, directly or indirectly, to solicit. A paid solicitor shall also include any fundraising counsel who at any time has custody of contributions from a solicitation as defined by this chapter. An attorney, investment counselor, accountant, or banker who, solely incidental to his or her profession, advises a person to make a charitable contribution or who holds funds subject to an escrow or trust agreement shall not be deemed, as the result of such actions, to be a paid solicitor. A bona fide salaried officer, employee, or volunteer of a charitable organization or commercial coventurer shall not be deemed to be a paid solicitor.

(11) "Person" means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint-stock company, a trust, or any unincorporated organization.

(12) "Religious organization" means an entity which:

(A) Conducts regular worship services; or

(B) Is qualified as a religious organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(13) "Solicitation," "solicitation of funds," or "solicit" means the request or acceptance directly or indirectly of money, credit, property, financial assistance, or any other thing of value to be used for any charitable purpose; and such act shall be a consumer act or practice or consumer transaction as defined by Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, the "Fair Business Practices Act of 1975."

(14) "Solicitor agent" means any person, other than a charitable organization, paid solicitor, or commercial coventurer, who or which solicits charitable contributions for compensation. The term "solicitor agent" shall not include any person who is an employee of a charitable organization which is either registered or exempt from registration under this chapter and who is neither supervised by, nor whose activities are directed by, any paid solicitor or its agent.

(15) "State" means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.