(a) In this chapter,

(1) “administrative action” means conduct related to the development, drafting, consideration, enactment, defeat, application, or interpretation of a rule, regulation, policy, or other action in a regulatory proceeding or a proceeding involving a license, permit, franchise, or entitlement for use;

(2) “anything of value,” “benefit,” or “thing of value” includes all matters, whether tangible or intangible, that could reasonably be considered to be a material advantage, of material worth, use, or service to the person to whom it is conferred; the terms are intended to be interpreted broadly and encompass all matters that the recipient might find sufficiently desirable to do something in exchange for; “anything of value,” “benefit,” or “thing of value” does not include

(A) an item listed in AS 24.60.080(a)(2)(B) or (c);

(B) campaign contributions, pledges, political endorsements, support in a political campaign, or a promise of endorsement or support;

(C) contributions to a cause or organization, including a charity, made in response to a direct solicitation from a legislator or a person acting at the legislator's direction; or

(D) grants under AS 37.05.316 to named recipients;

(3) “committee” means the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics and includes, when appropriate, the senate or house subcommittee;

(4) “compensation” means remuneration for personal services rendered, including salary, fees, commissions, bonuses, and similar payments, but does not include reimbursement for actual expenses incurred by a person;

(5) “domestic partner” means a person who is cohabiting with another person in a relationship that is like a marriage but that is not a legal marriage;

(6) “immediate family” means

(A) the spouse or domestic partner of the person; or

(B) a parent, child, including a stepchild and an adopted child, and sibling of a person if the parent, child, or sibling resides with the person, is financially dependent on the person, or shares a substantial financial interest with the person;

(7) “income” means an asset that a person has received or expects to receive, regardless of whether it is earned or unearned; inheritances and other gifts are not income;

(8) “knowingly” has the meaning given in AS 11.81.900;

(9) “legislative action” means conduct relating to the development, drafting, consideration, sponsorship, enactment or defeat, support or opposition to or of a law, amendment, resolution, report, nomination, or other matter affected by legislative action or inaction;

(10) “legislative director” means the director of the legislative finance division, the legislative auditor, the director of the legislative research agency, the ombudsman, the victims' advocate, the executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency, and the directors of the divisions within the Legislative Affairs Agency;

(11) “legislative employee” means a person, other than a legislator, who is compensated by the legislative branch in return for providing regular or substantial personal services, regardless of the person's pay level or technical status as full time or part time; “legislative employee” does not include legislative interns, legislative volunteers, legislative consultants, legislative independent contractors, individuals who perform functions that are incidental to legislative functions, and other employees designated by the committee;

(12) “lobbyist” means a person who is required to register under AS 24.45.041 and is described under AS 24.45.171, but does not include a volunteer lobbyist described in AS 24.45.161(a)(1) or a representational lobbyist as defined under regulations of the Alaska Public Offices Commission;

(13) “political action” means conduct in which public officials, including legislators or legislative employees, use their official position or political contacts to exercise influence on state and local government employees or entities; it includes but is not limited to endorsing and pledging support or actively supporting a legislative matter, a nominee, or a candidate for public office;

(14) “registered lobbyist” means a person who is required to register under AS 24.45.041;

(15) “representation” means action taken on behalf of another, whether for compensation or not, including but not limited to telephone calls and meetings and appearances at proceedings or meetings;

(16) “state office” includes the office of governor, lieutenant governor, member of the legislature, or similar state office.

(b) A person has a substantial interest in legislative, administrative, or political action if the person (1) is not a natural person and will be directly and substantially affected financially by a legislative, administrative, or political action; (2) is a natural person and will be directly and substantially affected financially by a legislative, administrative, or political action in a way that is greater than the effect on a substantial class of persons to which the person belongs as a member of a profession, occupation, industry, or region; (3) has or seeks contracts in excess of $10,000 annually for goods or services with the legislature or with an agency of the state; or (4) is a lobbyist. For the purpose of this subsection, the state, the federal government, and an agency, corporation, or other entity of or owned by the state or federal government do not have a substantial interest in legislative, administrative, or political action.