Minnesota SF 648: Acceptance of large campaign contributions creates conflict of interest issues related to the contributor establishment and civil penalty imposition; lobbyist contributions disclosure requirement; public subsidy payment increase for candidates who agree to refuse donations from specified sources

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to ethics in government; providing that accepting large campaign​
1.3 contributions creates a conflict of interest on issues related to the contributor;​
1.4 imposing a civil penalty; requiring disclosure of all lobbyist contributions;​
1.5 increasing public subsidy payment for candidates who agree to refuse donations​
1.6 from specified sources; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 10A.07, by​
1.7 adding a subdivision; 10A.20, subdivision 3; 10A.31, subdivision 7; 10A.315;​
1.8 10A.322, by adding a subdivision.​
1.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.10 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 10A.07, is amended by adding a subdivision​
1.11 to read:​
1.12 Subd. 5.Conflicts based on contributions.(a) If a legislator or constitutional officer,​
1.13 or that official's principal campaign committee, accepts a contribution of more than $500​
1.14 during the legislator's or constitutional officer's current term of office or within one year​
1.15 before the current term of office from a lobbyist, principal, political committee, or political​
1.16 fund, the legislator or constitutional officer has a conflict of interest with regard to an action​
1.17 or decision on any question coming before the legislator or constitutional officer in which​
1.18 the contributing individual or association has a financial interest that is of greater consequence​
1.19 to the contributor than the general interest of other residents or taxpayers of the state. If a​
1.20 legislator or constitutional officer, or that official's principal campaign committee, refuses​
1.21 a contribution or returns a contribution within 90 days of receipt, there is no conflict of​
1.22 interest under this paragraph.​
1.23 (b) If a conflict of interest arises under this subdivision, the legislator or constitutional​
1.24 officer must disclose it in the manner provided in subdivision 1 and take the actions required​
1.25 by subdivision 2.​
1​Section 1.​
21-00801 as introduced​01/11/21 REVISOR JRM/EH​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 648​NINETY-SECOND SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: MARTY)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​249​02/04/2021​
Referred to State Government Finance and Policy and Elections​

2.1 (c) A person who violates this subdivision is subject to a civil penalty imposed by the​
2.2 board of up to $3,000.​
2.3 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 10A.20, subdivision 3, is amended to read:​
2.4 Subd. 3.Contents of report.(a) The report required by this section must include each​
2.5 of the items listed in paragraphs (b) to (q) that are applicable to the filer. The board shall​
2.6 prescribe forms based on filer type indicating which of those items must be included on the​
2.7 filer's report.​
2.8 (b) The report must disclose the amount of liquid assets on hand at the beginning of the​
2.9 reporting period.​
2.10 (c) The report must disclose the name, address, employer, or occupation if self-employed,​
2.11 and registration number if registered with the board, of each individual or association that​
2.12 has made one or more contributions to the reporting entity, including the purchase of tickets​
2.13 for a fund-raising effort, that in aggregate within the year exceed $200 for legislative or​
2.14 statewide candidates or more than $500 for ballot questions, together with except that a​
2.15 contribution from a registered lobbyist in any amount must be disclosed. The report must​
2.16 include the amount and date of each contribution, and the aggregate amount of contributions​
2.17 within the year from each source so disclosed. A donation in kind must be disclosed at its​
2.18 fair market value. An approved expenditure must be listed as a donation in kind. A donation​
2.19 in kind is considered consumed in the reporting period in which it is received. The names​
2.20 of contributors must be listed in alphabetical order. Contributions from the same contributor​
2.21 must be listed under the same name. When a contribution received from a contributor in a​
2.22 reporting period is added to previously reported unitemized contributions from the same​
2.23 contributor and the aggregate exceeds the disclosure threshold of this paragraph, the name,​
2.24 address, and employer, or occupation if self-employed, of the contributor must then be listed​
2.25 on the report.​
2.26 (d) The report must disclose the sum of contributions to the reporting entity during the​
2.27 reporting period.​
2.28 (e) The report must disclose each loan made or received by the reporting entity within​
2.29 the year in aggregate in excess of $200, continuously reported until repaid or forgiven,​
2.30 together with the name, address, occupation, principal place of business, if any, and​
2.31 registration number if registered with the board of the lender and any endorser and the date​
2.32 and amount of the loan. If a loan made to the principal campaign committee of a candidate​
2.33