(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, no lobbyist may promote, advocate, influence or oppose any bill or resolution pending before the General Assembly by direct communication with a member of the General Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor, or the Governor, or any proposed regulation pending before a state agency by direct communication with an employee or official of that state agency, unless the lobbyist reports to the Commission the identity by number of each bill or resolution, and by number and/or title of each regulation, in connection with which the lobbyist has made or intends to make such direct communication, and the name of the employer on whose behalf such direct communication occurred. Reports relating to any subject contained within any budget appropriation bill or bond and capital improvement bill shall also include identification of the specific subject of the direct communication, such subjects to be designated by agreement of the Controller General and Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Other than as specified in this section, a lobbyist shall not be required to disclose with whom such direct communication occurred or a position or other substantive comment on the bill, resolution, or regulation for which a report is filed. For the purposes of this section, direct communications undertaken as part of one's duties as a member of a commission, committee, task force, board or other public body shall not be considered direct communication requiring discloser under this section.
(b) A lobbyist shall make any report to the Commission required by this section relating to a bill or resolution no later than the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the first direct communication takes place, or by June 29 of each year, whichever is earlier. A lobbyist shall make any report to the Commission required by this section relating to a regulation no later than the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the first direct communication takes place. Reports shall be filed electronically in such manner as the Commission may prescribe.
(c) Direct communications by a lobbyist with a member of the General Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor, the Governor, or an employee or official of the state agency that specifically relate to a proposed bill, resolution, or regulation, that occur prior to introduction of such bill or resolution, or initial public notice of such regulation, shall be disclosed no later than the end of the fifth business day after the introduction of the bill or resolution, or initial public notice of such regulation, that was the subject of the direct communication.
(d) The reports made pursuant to this section shall be posted on the Internet by the Commission, in consultation with Legislative Council, in a manner determined by the Government Information Center to allow the public to review such information organized by bill, resolution, regulation, lobbyist, employer, and subject of the budget appropriation bill or bond and capital improvement bill. The chairperson of the Commission shall have the authority to suspend the reports required by this section if electronic filing of those reports is unavailable, in which case the reports required by this section shall be filed no later than the end of the fifth business day after which electronic filing has resumed, or June 29 of each year, whichever is earlier. Reports made pursuant to this section shall be distributed electronically in a format determined by the Commission to each member of the General Assembly no less frequently than once a week when the General Assembly is in session.