As used in this part:

1. (1)

   1. (A) “Compensation” means any money or anything of value received, or to be received as a claim for future services, whether in the form of a:

      1. (i) Retainer;
      2. (ii) Fee;
      3. (iii) Salary;
      4. (iv) Expense;
      5. (v) Allowance;
      6. (vi) Forbearance;
      7. (vii) Forgiveness;
      8. (viii) Interest;
      9. (ix) Dividend;
      10. (x) Royalty;
      11. (xi) Rent;
      12. (xii) Any other form of recompense; or
      13. (xiii) Any combination thereof.
   2. (B) It includes a payment made under obligation for services or other value received.
   3. (C) The term “compensation” does not include anything of value presented to an employee of a public school district, the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, a university, a college, a technical college, a technical institute, a comprehensive life-long learning center, or a community college in recognition of the employee’s contribution to education;

2. (2)

   1. (A) “Gift” means any payment, entertainment, advance, services, or anything of value, unless consideration of equal or greater value has been given therefor.

   2. (B) It does not include:

      1. (i)

         1. (a) (a) Informational material such as books, reports, pamphlets, calendars, or periodicals informing a public servant regarding his or her official duties.
         2. (b) (b) Payments for travel or reimbursement for any expenses are not informational material;
      2. (ii) The giving or receiving of food, lodging, or travel which bears a relationship to the public servant’s office and when appearing in an official capacity;
      3. (iii) Gifts which are not used and which, within thirty (30) days after receipt, are returned to the donor;
      4. (iv) Gifts from an individual’s spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, or first cousin, or the spouse of any of these persons, unless the person is acting as an agent or intermediary for any person not covered by this subdivision (2)(B)(iv);
      5. (v) Campaign contributions;
      6. (vi) Any devise or inheritance;

      7. (vii)

         1. (a) (a) Anything with a value of one hundred dollars ($100) or less.
         2. (b) (b) The value of an item shall be considered to be less than one hundred dollars ($100) if:
3. (1) (1) The public servant reimburses the person from whom the item was received any amount over one hundred dollars ($100); and

4. (2) (2) The reimbursement occurs within ten (10) days from the date the item was received;

   1. (viii) Wedding presents and engagement gifts;

      1. (ix) A monetary or other award presented to an employee of a public school district, the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, a university, a college, a technical college, a technical institute, a comprehensive life-long learning center, or a community college in recognition of the employee’s contribution to education;
      2. (x) Tickets to charitable fundraising events held within this state by a nonprofit organization which is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
      3. (xi) A personalized award, plaque, or trophy with a value of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) or less;
      4. (xii) An item which appointed or elected members of a specific governmental body purchase with their own personal funds and present to a fellow member of that governmental body in recognition of public service;
      5. (xiii) Food or beverages provided at a conference scheduled event that is part of the program of the conference;
      6. (xiv) Food or beverages provided in return for participation in a bona fide panel, seminar, or speaking engagement at which the audience is a civic, social, or cultural organization or group;

      7. (xv)

         1. (a) (a) A monetary or other award publicly presented to an employee of state government in recognition of his or her contributions to the community and State of Arkansas when the:
5. (1) (1) Presentation is made by the employee’s supervisor or peers, individually or through a nonprofit organization which is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

6. (2) (2) Employee’s receipt of the award would not result in or create the appearance of the employee:

   1. (A) (A) Using his or her position for private gain;
   2. (B) (B) Giving preferential treatment to any person; or

   3. (C) (C) Losing independence or impartiality.

      1. (b) (b) This exception shall not apply to an award presented to an employee of state government by a person having economic interests which may be affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee’s duties or responsibilities;
      2. (xvi) Any work of art, contracted for prior to January 1, 1998, for public service recognition for members of the Arkansas General Assembly;

      3. (xvii) Racing passes provided to and accepted by members of the General Assembly and other constitutional officers for redistribution to their constituents and persons residing outside the State of Arkansas to promote tourism and advance the economic interests of the state; or (xviii) Anything of value provided by a political party under Arkansas Code § 7-1-101 or § 7-7-205 when serving as the host of the following events to all attendees as part of attendance at the event:

         1. (a) (a) The official swearing-in, inaugural, and recognition events of constitutional officers and members of the General Assembly; and
         2. (b) (b) An official event of a recognized political party so long as all members of either house of the General Assembly affiliated with the recognized political party are invited to the official event;

7. (3) “Governmental body” means any office, department, commission, council, board, committee, legislative body, agency, or other establishment of the executive, judicial, or legislative branch of the:

   1. (A) State;
   2. (B) Municipality;
   3. (C) County;
   4. (D) School district;
   5. (E) Improvement district; or
   6. (F) Any political district or subdivision thereof;

8. (4) “Legislator” means any person who is a member of:

   1. (A) The General Assembly;
   2. (B) A quorum court of any county;
   3. (C) The city council or board of directors of any municipality; or
   4. (D) A school district board of directors;

9. (5) “Official capacity” means activities which:

   1. (A) Arise solely because of the position held by the public servant;
   2. (B) Would be subject to expense reimbursement by the agency with which the public servant is associated; and
   3. (C) Involve matters falling within the official responsibilities of the public servant;

10. (6) “Person” means a:

    1. (A) Business;
    2. (B) Individual;
    3. (C) Corporation;
    4. (D) Union;
    5. (E) Association;
    6. (F) Firm;
    7. (G) Partnership;
    8. (H) Committee;
    9. (I) Club; or
    10. (J) Other organization or group of persons;

11. (7)

    1. (A) “Public appointee” means an individual who is appointed to a governmental body.
    2. (B) It does not include an individual appointed to an elective office;

12. (8)

    1. (A) “Public employee” means an individual who is:

       1. (i) Employed by a governmental body; or
       2. (ii) Appointed to serve a governmental body.
    2. (B) It does not include public officials or public appointees;

13. (9)

    1. (A) “Public official” means a legislator or any other person holding an elective office of any governmental body, whether elected or appointed to the office, and shall include such persons during the time period between the date they were elected and the date they took office.
    2. (B) "Public official" includes without limitation a member of a school district board of directors;

14. (10) “Public servant” means all:

    1. (A) Public officials;
    2. (B) Public employees; and
    3. (C) Public appointees;

15. (11)

    1. (A) “Recognized political party” means a political party that:

       1. (i) At the last preceding general election polled for its candidate for Governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least three percent (3%) of the entire vote cast for the office; or
       2. (ii) Has been formed by the petition process under Arkansas Code § 7-7-205.
    2. (B) When a recognized political party fails to obtain three percent (3%) of the total votes cast in an election for the office of Governor or nominees for presidential electors, it shall cease to be a recognized political party; and
16. (12) “Registered lobbyist” means a person who is registered as a lobbyist pursuant to the provisions of Arkansas Code § 21-8-601 et seq.