Section 43-17-2. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Administrator" means the office created in subsection (a) of Code Section 10-1-395.

   (2) "Charitable organization" means any benevolent, philanthropic, patriotic, or eleemosynary (of, relating to, or supported by charity or alms) person, as that term is defined in this Code section, who solicits or obtains contributions solicited from the general public, any part of which contributions is used for charitable purposes; and any person who or which falsely represents himself, herself, or itself to be a charitable organization as defined by this paragraph. The term charitable organization shall not include a religious organization as defined in paragraph (12) of this Code section.

   (3) "Charitable purpose" means any charitable, benevolent, philanthropic, patriotic, or eleemosynary purpose for religion, health, education, social welfare, arts and humanities, environment, civic, or public interest; and any purpose which is falsely represented to be a charitable purpose as defined by this paragraph.

   (4) "Charitable sales promotion" means an advertising or sales campaign, conducted by a commercial coventurer, which represents that the purchase or use of goods or services offered by the commercial coventurer will benefit, in whole or in part, a charitable organization or purpose.

   (4.1) "Collection receptacle" means an unattended container for the purpose of collecting donations of clothing, books, personal or household items, or other goods. Such term shall not include containers used for the purpose of collecting monetary donations.

   (5) "Commercial coventurer" means a person who for profit is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce other than in connection with soliciting for charitable organizations or purposes and who conducts a charitable sales promotion.

   (6) "Contribution" means the promise or grant of any money or property of any kind or value.

   (7) "Educational institution" means an entity organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes and which either:

      (A) Maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are regularly carried on; or

      (B) Is accredited by a nationally recognized, independent higher education accreditation body.

   (8) "Executive officer" means the chief executive officer, the president, the principal financial officer, the principal operating officer, each vice president with responsibility involving policy-making functions for a significant aspect of a person's business, the secretary, the treasurer, or any other person performing similar functions with respect to any organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated.

   (9) "Fundraising counsel" means any person, other than a paid solicitor required to register under this chapter, who plans, advises, consults, or prepares material for a solicitation of charitable contributions within, into, or from this state and who does not either:

      (A) Solicit such contributions or employ, procure, engage, direct, or supervise any compensated person to solicit such contributions; or

      (B) Have custody or control of contributions.

A natural person who is a volunteer, employee, or salaried officer of a charitable organization is not a fundraising counsel with respect to the charitable organization of which he or she is a volunteer, individual, or officer. An attorney, accountant, investment counselor, or banker who, solely incidental to his or her profession, renders professional services to a charitable organization, paid solicitor, or fundraising counsel or advises a person to make a charitable contribution is not a fundraising counsel as a result of such advice.

   (10) "General public" or "public," with respect to a charitable organization, means any person in the State of Georgia without a membership in or other bona fide relationship with such charitable organization.

   (11) "Membership" or "member" means a status by which, for the payment of fees, dues, assessments, and other similar payments, an organization provides services to the payor and confers on the payor a bona fide right, privilege, professional standing, honor, or other direct benefit other than the right to vote, elect officers, or hold offices. The term "membership" or "member" shall not be construed to apply to a person on whom an organization confers a membership solely as a consideration for making a contribution.

   (12) (A) "Paid solicitor" means a person:

         (i) Other than a commercial coventurer who, for compensation, performs for a charitable organization any service in connection with which contributions are, or will be, solicited within or from this state by such person or by any compensated person he or she employs, procures, engages, or contracts with, directly or indirectly, to so solicit;

         (ii) Who would be a fundraising counsel but for the fact that such person at any time has custody of contributions from a solicitation as defined by this chapter; or

         (iii) Who services a collection receptacle which purports, either through language appearing on the receptacle itself or otherwise, to be collecting items for the purpose of benefiting a charitable purpose or one or more entities espousing a charitable purpose.

      (B) A "paid solicitor" shall not mean:

         (i) A bona fide officer, employee, or volunteer of a charitable organization or commercial coventurer with respect to contributions solicited for that charitable organization;

         (ii) An attorney, investment counselor, accountant, or banker who, solely incidental to his or her profession, advises a person to make a charitable contribution or who holds funds subject to an escrow or trust agreement;

         (iii) A person who removes or delivers donations placed in a collection receptacle for a fixed fee and who does not otherwise directly or indirectly receive any of the proceeds of the sale of such donations or derive any other benefit from such activity; or

         (iv) A charitable organization registered with the Secretary of State which operates collection receptacles or a religious organization which operates collection receptacles.

   (13) "Person" means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a joint-stock company, a trust, or any unincorporated organization.

   (14) "Religious organization" means an entity which:

      (A) Conducts regular worship services; or

      (B) Is qualified as a religious organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now or hereafter amended, that is not required to file IRS Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, under any circumstances.

   (15) "Solicitation," "solicitation of funds," or "solicit" means the request or acceptance directly or indirectly of money, credit, property, financial assistance, or any other thing of value to be used for any charitable purpose; and such act shall be a consumer act or practice or consumer transaction as defined by Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, the "Fair Business Practices Act of 1975."

   (16) "Solicitor agent" means any person, other than a paid solicitor or commercial coventurer, who or which solicits charitable contributions for compensation. The term "solicitor agent" shall not include, with respect to a particular charitable organization which is either registered or exempt from registration under this chapter, any person who is a charitable organization itself or a bona fide officer, employee, or volunteer of such charitable organization which is either registered or exempt from registration under this chapter and who is neither supervised by, nor whose activities are directed by, any paid solicitor or its agent.

   (17) "State" means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Code 1981, § 43-17-2, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 490, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 123, § 34; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 43; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1657, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 683, § 1/HB 1104; Ga. L. 2010, p. 559, §§ 1, 2/HB 863; Ga. L. 2011, p. 752, § 43/HB 142.