question archive What do you think about this? What does it mean to someone who doesn't understand government? "Lobbyist" means any person or organization that uses the services of any governmental affairs agent to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes

What do you think about this? What does it mean to someone who doesn't understand government? "Lobbyist" means any person or organization that uses the services of any governmental affairs agent to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes

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What do you think about this? What does it mean to someone who doesn't understand government?

"Lobbyist" means any person or organization that uses the services of any governmental affairs agent to influence legislation, regulation or governmental processes. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 52:13C-20.

"Governmental affairs agent" means any person who receives or agrees to receive anything of value including reimbursement of his expenses where such reimbursement exceeds $100.00 in any three-month period, to influence legislation, to influence regulation or to influence governmental processes, or all of the above, by communication with, or by any expenditures providing a benefit to, a member of the Legislature, legislative staff, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Governor's staff, or any officer or staff member of the Executive Branch, or who holds himself out as engaging in the business of influencing legislation, regulation or governmental processes, or who incident to his regular employment engages in influencing legislation, regulation or governmental processes, by such means. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 52:13C-20. 

 

A person shall not be deemed a governmental affairs agent who, in relation to the duties or interests of his employment or at the request or suggestion of his employer, communicates with a member of the Legislature, with legislative staff, with the Governor, with the Lieutenant Governor, with the Governor's staff, or with an officer or staff member of the Executive Branch concerning any legislation, regulation or governmental process, if such communication is an isolated, exceptional or infrequent activity in relation to the usual duties of his employment. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 52:13C-20.

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These definitions are very clear, descriptive, and specific, but they might be difficult for someone with no background in government to understand.

Step-by-step explanation

For someone who is familiar with the workings of government, this passage is a very adequate description of lobbyists and governmental affairs agents. However, due to its lofty language and use of esoteric terms, it may not be clear to someone who does not already have a solid understanding of government. A more simple way of putting it may be the following:

 

"A lobbyist is someone who uses the services of a governmental affairs agent to try to influence governmental rules and processes.

A governmental affairs agent is someone who is paid to encourage certain changes or policies in government by interacting with or paying incentives to governmental officials. In order to be considered a governmental affairs agent, the person must engage in these activities as a career, not just casually."

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