SF 2534

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/18/2019 01:47pm

A bill for an act
relating to state government; changing provisions on fair campaign practices;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 211B.20, subdivision 1.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 211B.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prohibition.

(a) It is unlawful for a person, either directly or indirectly,
to deny access to an apartment house, dormitory, nursing home, manufactured home park,
other multiple unit facility used as a residence, or an area in which two or more single-family
dwellings are located on private roadways to deleted text begin a candidate deleted text end new text begin an individual new text end who deleted text begin has deleted text end :

(1) new text begin has new text end organized a campaign committee under applicable federal or state law;

(2) new text begin has new text end filed a financial report as required by section 211A.02; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(3) new text begin has new text end filed an affidavit of candidacy for elected office new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (4) is a United States Census Bureau employee new text end .

A candidate granted access under this section must be allowed to be accompanied by
campaign volunteers.

(b) new text begin For candidates, new text end access to a facility or area is only required if it is located within the
district or territory that will be represented by the office to which the candidate seeks election,
and the candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers seek access exclusively for
the purpose of campaigning for a candidate or registering voters. The candidate must be
seeking election to office at the next general or special election to be held for that office.

(c) A candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers granted access under this
section must be permitted to leave campaign materials for residents at their doors, except
that the manager of a nursing home may direct that the campaign materials be left at a central
location within the facility. The campaign materials must be left in an orderly manner.

(d) If a facility or area contains multiple buildings, a candidate and accompanying
volunteers must be permitted to access more than one building on a single visit, but access
is limited to only one building at a time. If multiple candidates are traveling together, each
candidate and that candidate's accompanying volunteers is limited to one building at a time,
but all of the candidates and accompanying volunteers traveling together must not be
restricted to accessing the same building at the same time.

new text begin (e) For a United States Census Bureau employee, access to a facility or area is only
required if it is part of their official work duties on a decennial census of population. United
States Census Bureau employees working on other surveys and censuses are not granted
access under this section.
new text end

new text begin (f) A United States Census Bureau employee must be permitted to leave census materials
for residents at their doors. The census materials must be left in an orderly manner.
new text end

new text begin (g) If a facility or area contains multiple buildings, a United States Census Bureau
employee must be permitted to access more than one building on a single visit. If multiple
employees are traveling together, they must not be restricted to accessing the same building
at the same time.
new text end

deleted text begin (e) deleted text end new text begin (h) new text end A violation of this section is a petty misdemeanor.