(a) The following persons are exempt from the provisions of Code Sections 43-17-5, 43-17-6, and 43-17-8:

(1) Educational institutions and those organizations, foundations, associations, corporations, charities, and agencies operated, supervised, or controlled by or in connection with a nonprofit educational institution, provided that any such institution or organization is qualified under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

(2) Business, professional, and trade associations and federations which do not solicit members or funds from the general public;

(3) Fraternal, civic, benevolent, patriotic, and social organizations, when solicitation of contributions is carried on by persons without any form of compensation and which solicitation is confined to their membership;

(4) Persons requesting any contributions for the relief of any other individual who is specified by name at the time of the solicitation if all of the contributions collected, without any deductions whatsoever, are turned over to the named beneficiary; provided, however, that any such person who collects contributions in excess of $5,000.00 in order to claim benefit of this exemption shall file with the Secretary of State a written accounting of funds so collected on forms prescribed by the Secretary of State at the end of the first 90 days of solicitation and, thereafter, at the end of every subsequent 90 day period until said solicitation is concluded;

(5) Any charitable organization which does not have any agreement with a paid solicitor and whose total revenue from contributions has been less than $25,000.00 for both the immediately preceding and current calendar years;

(6) Any local or state-wide organization of hunters, fishermen, and target shooters which has been recognized as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) or Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, or the corresponding provisions of any future federal revenue law;

(7) Any volunteer fire department or rescue service operating in conjunction with a city or county government in this state and which has received less than $25,000.00 in both the immediately preceding and current calendar years;

(8) Religious organizations; or

(9) Political parties, candidates for federal or state office, and political action committees required to file financial information with federal or state elections commissions.

(b) Local community and state-wide organizations affiliated with or acting on behalf of a registered or exempt state-wide or national parent organization by contract or agreement need not register separately with the Secretary of State; provided, however, that all records of such organizations which relate to charitable solicitations or charitable contributions shall be subject to such reasonable periodic, special, or other examinations by the Secretary of State, within or outside this state, as the Secretary of State deems necessary or appropriate for the protection of the public. The single registration of the state-wide or national parent organization shall be considered all inclusive of all of its chapters, branches, or affiliates and individuals, which will be identified by listing the communities in which they are located and their directors, as provided in Code Section 43-17-5.

(c) National charitable organizations having a Georgia affiliate registered under this chapter need not register separately with the Secretary of State; provided, however, that all records of such national organizations which relate to charitable solicitations or charitable contributions shall be subject to such reasonable periodic, special, or other examinations by the Secretary of State, within or outside this state, as the Secretary of State deems necessary or appropriate for the protection of the public. The Secretary of State shall not disclose this information except to the extent necessary for investigative or law enforcement purposes.

(d) Charitable organizations which do not solicit or receive contributions from the general public other than through affiliated organizations registered under this chapter need not register separately with the Secretary of State; provided, however, that all records of such organizations which relate to charitable solicitations or charitable contributions shall be subject to such reasonable periodic, special, or other examinations by the Secretary of State, within or outside this state, as the Secretary of State deems necessary or appropriate for the protection of the public. The Secretary of State shall not disclose this information except to the extent necessary for investigative or law enforcement purposes.

(e) The Secretary of State is authorized to exempt, by rule, regulation, or order, such entities and organizations from the registration provisions of Code Section 43-17-5 as he deems necessary and appropriate in the public interest.