1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; allowing certain persons access to multiple unit residences 
1.3 	for certain campaign and election purposes;amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, 
1.4 	section 211B.20.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 211B.20, is amended to read:
1.7 	211B.20 DENIAL OF ACCESS BY POLITICAL CANDIDATES TO 
1.8 	MULTIPLE UNIT DWELLINGS.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Prohibition. (a) It is unlawful for a person, either directly or 
1.10 	indirectly, to deny access to an apartment house, dormitory, nursing home, manufactured 
1.11 	home park, other multiple unit facility used as a residence, or an area in which two or 
1.12 	more single-family dwellings are located on private roadways to a candidate who has filed 
1.13 	for election to public office or to campaign workers accompanied by the candidate, if the 
1.14 	candidate and workers seeking admittance to the facility do so solely for the purpose of 
1.15 	campaigning. a candidate who has:
1.16 	(1) organized a campaign committee under applicable federal or state law;
1.17 	(2) filed a financial report as required by section 211A.02; or
1.18 	(3) filed an affidavit of candidacy for elected office.
1.19 	A candidate granted access under this section must be allowed to be accompanied 
1.20 	by campaign volunteers.
1.21 	(b) Access to a facility or area is only required if it is located within the district or 
1.22 	territory that will be represented by the office to which the candidate seeks election, and 
1.23 	the candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers seek access exclusively for 
2.1 	the purpose of campaigning for a candidate or registering voters. The candidate must be 
2.2 	seeking election to office at the next general or special election to be held for that office.
2.3 	(c) A candidate and any accompanying campaign volunteers granted access under 
2.4 	this section must be permitted to leave campaign materials for residents at their doors, 
2.5 	except that the manager of a nursing home may direct that the campaign materials be 
2.6 	left at a central location within the facility. The campaign materials must be left in 
2.7 	an orderly manner.
2.8 	(d) A violation of this section is a petty misdemeanor.
2.9 		Subd. 2.Exceptions. Subdivision 1 does not prohibit:
2.10 	(1) denial of admittance into a particular apartment, room, manufactured home, or 
2.11 	personal residential unit;
2.12 	(2) requiring reasonable and proper identification as a necessary prerequisite to 
2.13 	admission to a multiple unit dwelling;
2.14 	(3) in the case of a nursing home or a registered housing with services establishment 
2.15 	providing assisted living services meeting the requirements of section 144G.03, 
2.16 	subdivision 2, denial of permission to visit certain persons for valid health reasons;
2.17 	(4) limiting visits by candidates or workers volunteers accompanied by the candidate 
2.18 	to a reasonable number of persons or reasonable hours;
2.19 	(5) requiring a prior appointment to gain access to the facility; or
2.20 	(6) denial of admittance to or expulsion from a multiple unit dwelling for good cause.