EXCEPTIONS.

The following persons are not required to register under this chapter:

(1) a person who owns, publishes, or is employed by a newspaper, any other regularly published periodical, a radio station, a television station, a wire service, or any other bona fide news medium that in the ordinary course of business disseminates news, letters to the editors, editorial or other comment, or paid advertisements that directly or indirectly oppose or promote legislation or administrative action, if the person does not engage in further or other activities that require registration under this chapter and does not represent another person in connection with influencing legislation or administrative action;

(2) a person whose only direct communication with a member of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action is an appearance before or testimony to one or more members of the legislative or executive branch in a hearing conducted by or on behalf of either the legislative or the executive branch and who does not receive special or extra compensation for the appearance other than actual expenses incurred in attending the hearing;

(3) a person whose only activity is to encourage or solicit members, employees, or stockholders of an entity by whom the person is reimbursed, employed, or retained to communicate directly with members of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action;

(4) a person whose only activity to influence legislation or administrative action is to compensate or reimburse an individual registrant to act in the person's behalf to communicate directly with a member of the legislative or executive branch to influence legislation or administrative action;

(5) a person whose only activity to influence legislation or administrative action is attendance at a meeting or entertainment event attended by a member of the legislative or executive branch if the total cost of the meeting or entertainment event is paid by a business entity, union, or association;

(6) a person whose only compensation subject to Section 305.003(a)(2) consists of reimbursement for any wages not earned due to attendance at a meeting or entertainment event, travel to and from the meeting or entertainment event, admission to the meeting or entertainment event, and any food and beverage consumed at the meeting or entertainment event if the meeting or entertainment event is attended by a member of the legislative or executive branch and if the total cost of the meeting or entertainment event is paid by a business entity, union, or association; and

(7) a person who communicates directly with a member of the legislative or executive branch on behalf of a political party concerning legislation or administrative action, and whose expenditures and compensation, as described in Section 305.003, combined do not exceed $5,000 a calendar year.