HF 3870

1st Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/10/2022 05:17pm

A bill for an act
relating to state government; appropriating money to the secretary of state for
certain activities related to election security.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ELECTION SECURITY.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Appropriation. new text end

new text begin $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the
general fund to the secretary of state to enhance election security. This is a onetime
appropriation. This appropriation may be used for any of the following purposes:
new text end

new text begin (1) improving physical security of polling places and locations administering elections;
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new text begin (2) preparing training materials and training local election officials;
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new text begin (3) implementing physical security improvements for election systems; and
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new text begin (4) funding other activities to improve the security of elections.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Local grants. new text end

new text begin (a) The secretary of state must administer grants to political
subdivisions to support the activities authorized in subdivision 1. The secretary may make
a grant only after receiving an application from the county auditor or municipal clerk
responsible for administering the election within that political subdivision. The application
must contain the following information:
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new text begin (1) the date the application is submitted;
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new text begin (2) the name of the political subdivision requesting the grant;
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new text begin (3) the name and title of the individual who prepared the application;
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new text begin (4) the citizen voting age population in the political subdivision from the 2020 United
States Census;
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new text begin (5) the total amount of the grant requested;
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new text begin (6) a certified statement by the official responsible for the application that the grant will
be used only for purposes authorized in subdivision 1; and
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new text begin (7) any other information required by the secretary of state.
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new text begin (b) A county is eligible to receive a grant of no less than $30,000. The remaining grant
funds must be distributed based on the citizen voting age population of each political
subdivision. If both a county and political subdivision within the county apply for additional
funds based on citizen voting age population, the secretary of state must award 20 percent
of the funds to the county and 80 percent to the political subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (c) The secretary of state must establish a deadline for receipt of grant applications, a
procedure for awarding and distributing grants consistent with this subdivision, and a process
for verifying the proper use of the grants after distribution. In evaluating an application, the
secretary of state must consider only the information set forth in the application and is not
subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14. If the secretary of state determines that the
application has been fully and properly completed, and there is a sufficient balance available
to fund the grant, either in whole or in part, the secretary of state may approve the application.
new text end

new text begin (d) No later than January 31, 2023, the secretary of state must submit a report to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over elections policy and state government finance
on the state's use of the funds and identify each jurisdiction receiving a grant and the amount
of each grant awarded.
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