The following persons and activities are exempt from registration and reporting under RCW 42.17A.600, 42.17A.615, and 42.17A.640:

(1) Persons who limit their lobbying activities to appearing before public sessions of committees of the legislature, or public hearings of state agencies;

(2) Activities by lobbyists or other persons whose participation has been solicited by an agency under RCW 34.05.310(2);

(3) News or feature reporting activities and editorial comment by working members of the press, radio, digital media, or television and the publication or dissemination thereof by a newspaper, book publisher, regularly published periodical, radio station, digital platform, or television station;

(4) Persons who lobby without compensation or other consideration for acting as a lobbyist, if the person makes no expenditure for or on behalf of any member of the legislature or elected official or public officer or employee of the state of Washington in connection with such lobbying. The exemption contained in this subsection is intended to permit and encourage citizens of this state to lobby any legislator, public official, or state agency without incurring any registration or reporting obligation provided they do not exceed the limits stated above. Any person exempt under this subsection (4) may at the person's option register and report under this chapter;

(5) Persons who restrict their lobbying activities to no more than four days or parts of four days during any three-month period and whose total expenditures during such three-month period for or on behalf of any one or more members of the legislature or state elected officials or public officers or employees of the state of Washington in connection with such lobbying do not exceed *twenty-five dollars. The commission shall adopt rules to require disclosure by persons exempt under this subsection or their employers or entities which sponsor or coordinate the lobbying activities of such persons if it determines that such regulations are necessary to prevent frustration of the purposes of this chapter. Any person exempt under this subsection (5) may at the person's option register and report under this chapter;

(6) The governor;

(7) The lieutenant governor;

(8) Except as provided by RCW 42.17A.635(1), members of the legislature;

(9) Except as provided by RCW 42.17A.635(1), persons employed by the legislature for the purpose of aiding in the preparation or enactment of legislation or the performance of legislative duties;

(10) Elected officials, and officers and employees of any agency reporting under RCW 42.17A.635(5).

*Reviser's note: The dollar amounts in this section may have been adjusted for inflation by rule of the commission adopted under the authority of RCW 42.17A.125. For current dollar amounts, see WAC 390-20-150.

Effective date—Finding—Intent—2019 c 428: See notes following RCW 42.17A.160.

Effective date—Severability—1977 ex.s. c 313: See notes following RCW 42.17A.005.