HF 329

2nd Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/28/2012 03:10pm

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] PROHIBITIONS ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES BY
PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
new text end

new text begin Local school boards shall develop and implement policies to ensure that publicly
funded resources, including but not limited to time, materials, equipment, facilities, and
e-mail and other forms of technology used to communicate are not used or authorized
for use by public employees to:
new text end

new text begin (1) advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for elective office;
new text end

new text begin (2) advocate the passage or defeat of any referendum question; or
new text end

new text begin (3) solicit funds for political purposes.
new text end

new text begin Such policies shall not prohibit public employees from engaging in political activities
except when they are performing duties assigned to them under their employment contract
with the district or representing their employer in an official capacity.
new text end

new text begin Such policies shall not prohibit the use of public funds for disseminating factual
information about a proposition appearing on a local ballot, if such information is factual
and does not advocate for or against the proposition.
new text end

new text begin All school districts must make these policies readily accessible to the public in paper
copy at the district office or on the district Web site.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end