HF 329

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/17/2011 03:08pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; prohibiting public school employees from using public
funds and resources to advocate to pass, elect, or defeat a political candidate,
ballot question, or pending legislation; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 123B.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [123B.022] PROHIBITING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FROM USING
PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR ADVOCACY; ENDORSING TIMELY AND
CURRENT FACTUAL INFORMATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) A school board must adopt and implement a districtwide policy that prohibits
district employees and other agents, entities, and individuals employed directly by the
district from using district funds or other publicly funded district resources, including
time, materials, equipment, facilities, and communication systems and technologies,
among other resources, to advocate for electing or defeating a candidate, passing or
defeating a ballot question, or passing or defeating pending legislation. The policy must
specify (1) the intervention strategies and disciplinary consequences of violating the
policy; and (2) what constitutes permissible employee conduct and employees' duty to
report conduct under the policy. The policy must apply when the employee performs the
duties assigned to the employee under the employee's employment contract with the
district, and includes the periods when the employee represents the district in an official
capacity, among other duties. The policy must not apply when an employee disseminates
factual information consistent with the employee's contractual duties. A policy that allows
a non-curriculum-related group access to school facilities must provide equal access on
the same basis to all such groups.
new text end

new text begin (b) The school board must provide the district's electorate with timely factual
information about a pending ballot question.
new text end