(a) The following persons are not required to register or file an activity report under this article:
(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, opinions, or paid advertisements that directly or indirectly oppose or promote municipal questions or seek to influence official action relating to municipal questions, provided that the person does not engage in other activities that require registration under this article. This exception does not apply if a person's relation to the news media is only incidental to a lobbying effort or if a position taken or advocated by a media outlet directly impacts, affects, or seeks to influence a municipal question in which the media outlet has a direct or indirect economic interest.
(2) A person whose only lobbying activity is to encourage or solicit the members, employees, or owners (including shareholders) of an entity by whom the person is compensated to communicate directly with one or more city officials to influence municipal questions.
(3) A governmental entity and its officials and employees, provided the communications relate solely to subjects of governmental interest concerning the governmental entity and the city.
(4) A person who neither knows nor has reason to know that a municipal question is pending at the time of contact with a city official. This exception does not apply if the existence of a municipal question is discovered during on-going contacts with a city official and the person then engages in additional lobbying of the same official or other city officials with respect to that municipal question.
(5) A person whose contact with a city official is made solely as part of resolving a dispute with the city, provided that the contact is solely with city officials who do not vote on or have final authority over any municipal question involved.
(6) An agent or employee of a lobbying firm or other registrant, provided that the lobbying firm or other registrant files a registration statement or activity report for the period in question fully disclosing all relevant information known to the agent or employee.
(7) An individual who engages in lobbying, but who does not receive compensation or reimbursement for lobbying with respect to any client.
(8) A neighborhood association, crime watch group, or homeowners association or its members when lobbying on a municipal question that affects the group or association as a whole.
(b) If, after notification by the city secretary that registration is required, a person shall, within 14 days of the date of notification:
(1) file an affidavit with the city secretary stating the basis for an exception under this section; or