1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; providing for "clean money" campaigns funded without 
1.3 	special interest money; expanding certain definitions; requiring certain campaign 
1.4 	finance reports to be filed and published electronically; requiring notice of 
1.5 	independent expenditures; requiring reports of excess spending by candidates 
1.6 	who do not agree to limit spending; reducing certain contribution limits and 
1.7 	spending limits; limiting independent expenditures by political parties on behalf 
1.8 	of their own candidates as a condition of receiving a public subsidy; imposing 
1.9 	campaign contribution and spending limits on political party caucuses as a 
1.10 	condition of receiving a public subsidy; limiting multicandidate expenditures 
1.11 	by political parties; increasing public subsidies for candidates who agree to 
1.12 	lower contribution limits; increasing spending limits and public subsidies to 
1.13 	respond to independent expenditures and excess spending by nonparticipating 
1.14 	candidates; repealing the income tax checkoff for election campaigns; increasing 
1.15 	the maximum political contribution refund from $50 to $100; imposing criminal 
1.16 	penalties; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 
1.17 	10A.01, subdivisions 9, 18, 21; 10A.02, subdivision 11a; 10A.14, subdivision 
1.18 	2; 10A.20, subdivisions 2, 6b, by adding subdivisions; 10A.25, subdivisions 1, 
1.19 	2, 2a, by adding subdivisions; 10A.257, subdivision 1; 10A.27, subdivisions 1, 
1.20 	11, by adding subdivisions; 10A.275, subdivision 1; 10A.28, subdivisions 1, 2; 
1.21 	10A.315; 10A.322; 200.02, by adding a subdivision; 290.06, subdivision 23; 
1.22 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A; repealing 
1.23 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 10A.25, subdivision 6; 10A.31, subdivisions 
1.24 	1, 3, 3a, 5, 5a, 6, 6a, 7, 10, 10a, 10b, 11; Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, 
1.25 	section 10A.31, subdivision 4.
1.26 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.27 	Section 1. LEGISLATIVE FUNDING; PURPOSE.
 1.28 		Subdivision 1.Legislative findings; purpose. The legislature finds that while 
1.29 	Minnesota has a system of partial public financing of campaigns, our current system still 
1.30 	encourages large amounts of private money to be used to finance campaigns. This private 
1.31 	money undermines democracy in the following ways:
2.1 	(a) It stifles the First Amendment, which the Supreme Court in Buckley v. Valeo 
2.2 	stated, was designed "to secure the widest possible dissemination of information from 
2.3 	diverse and antagonistic sources," and "to assure unfettered interchange of ideas for the 
2.4 	bringing about of political and social changes desired by the people." Instead, heavy 
2.5 	funding of certain candidates and interests discourages other candidates from running and 
2.6 	prevents many perspectives from receiving any dissemination whatsoever. In addition, 
2.7 	after a certain point, more spending does not create more speech but has the opposite 
2.8 	impact, overwhelming the public and causing them to tune out speech from any candidate.
2.9 	(b) It undermines the First Amendment right of voters to hear speech from all 
2.10 	candidates and all perspectives and undermines the core First Amendment value of open 
2.11 	and robust debate in the political process.
2.12 	(c) It inhibits communication with the electorate by candidates without access to 
2.13 	large sums of campaign money.
2.14 	(d) It burdens elected officials and candidates with endless hours of fund-raising, 
2.15 	thus decreasing the time available to carry out their public responsibilities.
2.16 	(e) It discourages people from participating in the political process. A 1998 
2.17 	poll conducted by St. Cloud State University found that, because of their belief that 
2.18 	contributors have more influence than noncontributors do, one-third of respondents are 
2.19 	"less likely to vote or participate in politics." Over half of those who said that they did 
2.20 	not vote in the 1996 election said they were less likely to vote or participate because 
2.21 	of this belief.
2.22 	(f) It violates the rights of citizens to equal and meaningful participation in the 
2.23 	democratic process.
2.24 	(g) It creates a public perception of corruption and undermines public confidence 
2.25 	in the democratic process and democratic institutions. This perception is held by almost 
2.26 	nine out of ten Minnesotans. The 1998 St. Cloud State University poll showed that 88 
2.27 	percent of all Minnesotans believe elected officials are more responsive to contributors 
2.28 	than to voters who do not contribute.
2.29 	(h) It not only creates a perception of corruption, but actually encourages elected 
2.30 	officials to take money from private interests that are directly affected by governmental 
2.31 	actions.
2.32 	(i) It diminishes the perceived and the actual accountability of elected officials 
2.33 	to their constituents by giving them incentives to be accountable to major campaign 
2.34 	contributors instead.
3.1 	(j) It undermines the integrity of the election process by making it difficult for 
3.2 	qualified candidates without access to large contributors or personal fortunes to mount 
3.3 	competitive campaigns and discourages them from running.
3.4 	(k) It undermines the integrity of the election process by placing challengers 
3.5 	at a disadvantage, because large campaign contributors tend to give their money to 
3.6 	incumbents, thus causing elections to be less competitive.
3.7 	(l) It costs taxpayers millions of dollars for the legislative and regulatory decisions 
3.8 	made by elected officials on behalf of major campaign contributors.
3.9 	The legislature finds each of these defects on its own has a corrosive impact on our 
3.10 	democracy either by corrupting the political process or by creating the appearance of 
3.11 	corruption. Accordingly, the state has a compelling interest in addressing them through 
3.12 	this act.
3.13 		Subd. 2.Purpose. This act is intended to enable campaigns to be conducted 
3.14 	without special interest money and to restore the First Amendment rights of nonwealthy 
3.15 	candidates by enabling them to disseminate their views without being drowned out by 
3.16 	heavily funded independent expenditures or ads by opposing campaigns that they cannot 
3.17 	respond to for lack of money.
3.18 	This act is designed to create benefits for participating candidates and political 
3.19 	parties to compensate for the restrictions applied to them and to further the compelling 
3.20 	state interest of encouraging participation in this system of financing campaigns without 
3.21 	special interest money.

3.22 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.01, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
3.23 		Subd. 9.Campaign expenditure. (a) "Campaign expenditure" or "expenditure" 
3.24 	means a purchase or payment of money or anything of value, or an advance of credit, 
3.25 	made or incurred for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate 
3.26 	or for the purpose of promoting or defeating a ballot question.
3.27 	(b) "Expenditure" includes a cost incurred to design, produce, or disseminate a 
3.28 	communication if the communication contains words such as "vote for," "reelect," "(name 
3.29 	of candidate) for (office)," "vote against," "defeat," or another phrase or campaign slogan 
3.30 	that in context can have no reasonable meaning other than to advocate support for or 
3.31 	opposition to the nomination or election of one or more clearly identified candidates.
3.32 	(c) "Expenditure" is presumed to include a cost incurred to design, produce, or 
3.33 	disseminate a communication if the communication names or depicts one or more clearly 
3.34 	identified candidates; is disseminated during the 45 days before a primary election, during 
3.35 	the 90 days before a general election, or during a special election cycle until election day; 
4.1 	and the cost exceeds the following amounts for a communication naming or depicting a 
4.2 	candidate for the following offices:
4.3 	(1) $500 for a candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, 
4.4 	secretary of state, or state auditor; or 
4.5 	(2) $100 for a candidate for state senator or representative.
4.6 	An individual or association presumed under this paragraph to have made an 
4.7 	expenditure may rebut the presumption by an affidavit signed by the spender and filed with 
4.8 	the board stating that the cost was not incurred with intent to influence the nomination, 
4.9 	election, or defeat of any candidate, supported by any additional evidence the spender 
4.10 	chooses to submit. The board may consider any additional evidence it deems relevant and 
4.11 	material and must determine by a preponderance of the evidence whether the cost was 
4.12 	incurred with intent to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate.
4.13 	(d) An expenditure is considered to be made in the year in which the candidate made 
4.14 	the purchase of goods or services or incurred an obligation to pay for goods or services.
4.15 	(e) An expenditure made for the purpose of defeating a candidate is considered 
4.16 	made for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of that candidate or any 
4.17 	opponent of that candidate.
4.18 	(f) Except as provided in clause (1), "expenditure" includes the dollar value of 
4.19 	a donation in kind.
4.20 	"Expenditure" does not include:
4.21 	(1) noncampaign disbursements as defined in subdivision 26;
4.22 	(2) services provided without compensation by an individual volunteering personal 
4.23 	time on behalf of a candidate, ballot question, political committee, political fund, principal 
4.24 	campaign committee, or party unit; or
4.25 	(3) the publishing or broadcasting of news items or editorial comments by the news 
4.26 	media, if the news medium is not owned by or affiliated with any candidate or principal 
4.27 	campaign committee; or
4.28 	(4) a cost incurred by an association for a communication targeted to inform solely 
4.29 	its own dues-paying members of the association's position on a candidate; provided that, 
4.30 	if the communication is sent directly to the members, such as by direct mail or e-mail, 
4.31 	up to 15 percent of the recipients need not be members.

4.32 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.01, subdivision 18, is amended to read:
4.33 		Subd. 18.Independent expenditure. (a) "Independent expenditure" means an 
4.34 	expenditure expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, 
4.35 	if the expenditure that is made without the express or implied consent, authorization, or 
5.1 	cooperation of, and not in concert with or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or 
5.2 	any candidate's principal campaign committee or agent. An independent expenditure is 
5.3 	not a contribution to that candidate. An expenditure by a political party or political party 
5.4 	unit in a race where the political party has a candidate on the ballot is not an independent 
5.5 	expenditure.
5.6 	(b) An expenditure is presumed to be not independent if, for example:
5.7 	(1) in the same election cycle in which the expenditure occurs, the spender or 
5.8 	the spender's agent retains the professional services of an individual or entity that, in a 
5.9 	nonministerial capacity, provides or has provided campaign-related service, including 
5.10 	polling or other campaign research, media consulting or production, direct mail, or 
5.11 	fund-raising, to a candidate supported by the spender for nomination or election to the 
5.12 	same office as any candidate whose nomination or election the expenditure is intended to 
5.13 	influence or to a political party working in coordination with the supported candidate;
5.14 	(2) the expenditure pays for a communication that disseminates, in whole or in 
5.15 	substantial part, a broadcast or written, graphic, or other form of campaign material 
5.16 	designed, produced, or distributed by the candidate or the candidate's principal campaign 
5.17 	committee or their agents;
5.18 	(3) the expenditure is based on information about the candidate's electoral campaign 
5.19 	plans, projects, or needs that is provided by the candidate or the candidate's principal 
5.20 	campaign committee or their agents directly or indirectly to the spender or the spender's 
5.21 	agent, with an express or tacit understanding that the spender is considering making 
5.22 	the expenditure;
5.23 	(4) before the election, the spender or the spender's agent informs a candidate 
5.24 	or the principal campaign committee or agent of a candidate for the same office as a 
5.25 	candidate clearly identified in a communication paid for by the expenditure about the 
5.26 	communication's contents; timing, location, mode, or frequency of dissemination; or 
5.27 	intended audience; or
5.28 	(5) in the same election cycle in which the expenditure occurs, the spender or the 
5.29 	spender's agent is serving or has served in an executive, policy making, fund-raising, or 
5.30 	advisory position with the candidate's campaign or has participated in strategic or policy 
5.31 	making discussions with the candidate's campaign relating to the candidate's pursuit 
5.32 	of nomination or election to office and the candidate is pursuing the same office as a 
5.33 	candidate whose nomination or election the expenditure is intended to influence.
5.34 	An individual or association presumed under this paragraph to have made an 
5.35 	expenditure that was not independent may rebut the presumption by an affidavit signed by 
5.36 	the spender and filed with the board stating that the expenditure was made without the 
6.1 	express or implied consent, authorization, or cooperation of, and not in concert with 
6.2 	or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or any candidate's principal campaign 
6.3 	committee or agent, supported by any additional evidence the spender chooses to submit. 
6.4 	The board may consider any additional evidence it deems relevant and material and must 
6.5 	determine by a preponderance of the evidence whether the expenditure was independent.
6.6 	(c) An expenditure by anyone other than a principal campaign committee that does 
6.7 	not qualify as an independent expenditure under this subdivision is deemed to be an 
6.8 	approved expenditure under subdivision 4.

6.9 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.01, subdivision 21, is amended to read:
6.10 		Subd. 21.Lobbyist. (a) "Lobbyist" means an individual:
6.11 	(1) engaged for pay or other consideration of more than $3,000 $2,000  from all 
6.12 	sources in any year for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative 
6.13 	action, or the official action of a metropolitan governmental unit, by communicating or 
6.14 	urging others to communicate with public or local officials; or
6.15 	(2) who spends more than $250, not including the first $1,000 of the individual's 
6.16 	own traveling expenses and membership dues, in any year for the purpose of attempting 
6.17 	to influence legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan 
6.18 	governmental unit, by communicating or urging others to communicate with public or 
6.19 	local officials.
6.20 	(b) "Lobbyist" does not include:
6.21 	(1) a public official;
6.22 	(2) an employee of the state, including an employee of any of the public higher 
6.23 	education systems;
6.24 	(3) an elected local official;
6.25 	(4) a nonelected local official or an employee of a political subdivision or public 
6.26 	higher education system acting in an official capacity, unless the nonelected official or 
6.27 	employee of a political subdivision or public higher education system spends more than 
6.28 	50 hours in any month attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, or the 
6.29 	official action of a metropolitan governmental unit other than the political subdivision or 
6.30 	public higher education system employing the official or employee, by communicating 
6.31 	or urging others to communicate with public or local officials, including time spent 
6.32 	monitoring legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan 
6.33 	governmental unit, and related research, analysis, and compilation and dissemination of 
6.34 	information relating to legislative or administrative policy in this state, or to the policies of 
6.35 	metropolitan governmental units;
7.1 	(5) a party or the party's representative appearing in a proceeding before a state 
7.2 	board, commission, or agency of the executive branch unless the board, commission, 
7.3 	or agency is taking administrative action;
7.4 	(6) an individual while engaged in selling goods or services to be paid for by 
7.5 	public funds;
7.6 	(7) a news medium or its employees or agents while engaged in the publishing or 
7.7 	broadcasting of news items, editorial comments, or paid advertisements which directly 
7.8 	or indirectly urge official action;
7.9 	(8) a paid expert witness whose testimony is requested by the body before which the 
7.10 	witness is appearing, but only to the extent of preparing or delivering testimony; or
7.11 	(9) a party or the party's representative appearing to present a claim to the legislature 
7.12 	and communicating to legislators only by the filing of a claim form and supporting 
7.13 	documents and by appearing at public hearings on the claim.
7.14 	(c) An individual who volunteers personal time to work without pay or other 
7.15 	consideration on a lobbying campaign, and who does not spend more than the limit in 
7.16 	paragraph (a), clause (2), need not register as a lobbyist.
7.17 	(d) An individual who provides administrative support to a lobbyist and whose salary 
7.18 	and administrative expenses attributable to lobbying activities are reported as lobbying 
7.19 	expenses by the lobbyist, but who does not communicate or urge others to communicate 
7.20 	with public or local officials, need not register as a lobbyist.

7.21 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.02, subdivision 11a, is amended to read:
7.22 		Subd. 11a.Data privacy. (a) If, after making a public finding concerning probable 
7.23 	cause or entering a conciliation agreement, the board determines that the record of the 
7.24 	investigation contains statements, documents, or other matter that, if disclosed, would 
7.25 	unfairly injure the reputation of an innocent individual, the board may:
7.26 	(1) retain the statement, document, or other matter as a private record, as defined in 
7.27 	section 13.02, subdivision 12, for a period of one year, after which it must be destroyed; or 
7.28 	(2) return the statement, document, or other matter to the individual who supplied 
7.29 	it to the board.
7.30 	(b) When publishing reports on its Web site, the board must not publish the home 
7.31 	street address or telephone number of a contributor.

7.32 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.14, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
7.33 		Subd. 2.Form. The statement of organization must include:
7.34 	(1) the name and address of the committee, fund, or party unit;
8.1 	(2) the name and address of the chair of a political committee, principal campaign 
8.2 	committee, or party unit;
8.3 	(3) the name and address of any supporting association of a political fund;
8.4 	(4) the name and address of the treasurer and any deputy treasurers and, for a 
8.5 	principal campaign committee, any other individual authorized to accept contributions on 
8.6 	behalf of the principal campaign committee;
8.7 	(5) a listing of all depositories or safety deposit boxes used; and
8.8 	(6) for the state committee of a political party only, a list of its party units.

8.9 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.20, is amended by adding a subdivision 
8.10 	to read:
8.11 		Subd. 1b.Manner of filing; publication. If contributions or expenditures exceed 
8.12 	$5,000 in a year, the report must be filed with the board in an electronic format approved 
8.13 	by the board. Regardless of whether the report is filed electronically, the board must 
8.14 	publish the report on its Web site within seven days after the date it was due. The 
8.15 	publication must be in a form that permits a user of the Web site to search the reports and 
8.16 	prepare comparisons and cross-tabulations among the various candidates, contributors, 
8.17 	vendors, and committees.

8.18 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.20, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
8.19 		Subd. 2.Time for filing. (a) The reports must be filed with the board on or before 
8.20 	January 31 of each year and additional reports must be filed as required and in accordance 
8.21 	with paragraphs (b) and, (c), and (d).
8.22 	(b) In each year in which the name of the candidate is on the ballot, the report of 
8.23 	the principal campaign committee must be filed 15 days before a primary and ten days 
8.24 	before a general election, seven days before a special primary and a special election, 
8.25 	and ten days after a special election cycle.
8.26 	(c) In each general election year, a political committee, political fund, or party unit 
8.27 	must file reports 15 days before a primary and ten days before a general election.
8.28 	(d) A political committee or political fund that makes independent expenditures 
8.29 	related to a special election must file reports on the independent expenditures seven days 
8.30 	before the special primary and special election, and ten days after the special election cycle.

8.31 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.20, subdivision 6b, is amended to read:
8.32 		Subd. 6b.Independent expenditures; notice. (a) Within 24 48 hours after an 
8.33 	individual, political committee, or political fund, principal campaign committee, or party 
9.1 	unit  makes or becomes obligated by oral or written agreement to make an independent 
9.2 	expenditure in excess of $100 in a legislative district election or $500 in a statewide 
9.3 	election, other than an expenditure by an association targeted to inform solely its own 
9.4 	dues-paying members of the association's position on a candidate, the individual, political 
9.5 	committee, or political fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit  must file with 
9.6 	the board an affidavit notifying the board a notice of the intent to make the independent 
9.7 	expenditure and serve provide a copy of the affidavit on notice to each candidate in the 
9.8 	affected race and on to the treasurer of the candidate's principal campaign committee. 
9.9 	The affidavit notice must contain the information with respect to the expenditure that is 
9.10 	required to be reported under subdivision 3, paragraph (g); except that if an expenditure is 
9.11 	reported before it is made, the notice must include a reasonable estimate of the anticipated 
9.12 	amount. The notice must include an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, signed and sworn 
9.13 	to by the individual or by the treasurer of the committee, fund, or party unit identifying 
9.14 	the candidate in support of or opposition to whom the expenditure is made and affirming 
9.15 	that the expenditure was independent and involved no cooperation or coordination with a 
9.16 	candidate or a political party. Each new expenditure requires a new notice.
9.17 	(b) During the last three weeks before the primary election and during the last three 
9.18 	weeks before the general election, the notice must be filed within 24 hours after making or 
9.19 	becoming obligated to make the independent expenditure.
9.20 	(c) An individual or association may file a complaint with the board that a required 
9.21 	notice was not filed or that a notice filed under this subdivision is false. The board must 
9.22 	determine the complaint promptly. If the board determines that a notice was false and 
9.23 	the board has distributed a public subsidy to a candidate based on the false notice, the 
9.24 	candidate must return the subsidy to the board.
9.25 	(d) An individual or the treasurer of a political committee or, political fund, principal 
9.26 	campaign committee, or party unit  who fails to give notice as required by this subdivision, 
9.27 	or who files a false affidavit of notice, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and is subject to 
9.28 	a civil fine of up to four times the amount of the independent expenditure stated in the 
9.29 	notice or of which notice was required, whichever is greater.

9.30 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.20, is amended by adding a subdivision 
9.31 	to read:
9.32 		Subd. 6c.Excess spending reports. The treasurer of the principal campaign 
9.33 	committee of a candidate who has not signed a spending limit agreement under section 
9.34 	10A.322 must file with the board a report disclosing the sum of all expenditures made by 
9.35 	or on behalf of the committee that exceed the expenditure limit for any opponent of the 
10.1 	candidate who has signed a spending limit agreement under section 10A.322 within 48 
10.2 	hours after the spending exceeds the spending limit by more than $100 for a candidate for 
10.3 	legislative office or $500 for a candidate for statewide office. The treasurer must file an 
10.4 	additional report within 48 hours after spending any additional amounts that exceed the 
10.5 	participating candidate's spending limit.

10.6 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.25, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
10.7 		Subdivision 1.Limits are voluntary. (a) The expenditure limits imposed by this 
10.8 	section on a candidate apply only to a candidate who has signed an agreement under 
10.9 	section 10A.322 to be bound by them as a condition of receiving a public subsidy for 
10.10 	the candidate's campaign. 
10.11 	(b) The prohibition imposed by this section on a political party applies only to a 
10.12 	political party that has signed an agreement under section 10A.322 to be bound by it as a 
10.13 	condition of receiving a public subsidy for the party's activities.
10.14 	(c) The expenditure limits imposed by this section on a party caucus in a house 
10.15 	of the legislature apply only to a party caucus that has signed and filed an agreement 
10.16 	under section 10A.322 to be bound by them as a condition of receiving a public subsidy 
10.17 	for the caucus' activities.

10.18 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.25, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
10.19 		Subd. 2.Amounts. (a) In a year in which During an election is held for an office 
10.20 	sought by a candidate cycle, the principal campaign committee of the candidate must not 
10.21 	make campaign expenditures nor permit approved expenditures to be made on behalf of 
10.22 	the candidate that result in aggregate expenditures in excess of the following:
10.23 	(1) for governor and lieutenant governor, running together, $2,393,800 $1,800,000;
10.24 	(2) for attorney general, $399,000 $350,000;
10.25 	(3) for secretary of state and state auditor, separately, $199,500 $175,000;
10.26 	(4) for state senator, $59,900 $45,000;
10.27 	(5) for state representative, $31,400 $28,000.
10.28 	(b) In addition to the amount in paragraph (a), clause (1), a candidate for 
10.29 	endorsement for the office of lieutenant governor at the convention of a political party 
10.30 	may make campaign expenditures and approved expenditures of five percent of that 
10.31 	amount to seek endorsement.
10.32 	(c) If a special election cycle occurs during a general election cycle, expenditures by 
10.33 	or on behalf of a candidate in the special election do not count as expenditures by or on 
10.34 	behalf of the candidate in the general election.
11.1 	(d) The expenditure limits in this subdivision for an office are increased by ten 
11.2 	percent for a candidate who is running for that office for the first time and who has not run 
11.3 	previously for any other office whose territory now includes a population that is more than 
11.4 	one-third of the population in the territory of the new office.
11.5 	(e) The expenditure limits in this subdivision for a participating candidate are 
11.6 	increased by the sum of expenditures by a nonparticipating opponent of the candidate, 
11.7 	as reported to the board under section 10A.20, subdivision 2, 6, or 6c, in excess of the 
11.8 	participating candidate's original spending limit.
11.9 	(f) The expenditure limits in this subdivision for a candidate are increased by the 
11.10 	sum of independent expenditures made in opposition to the candidate, plus independent 
11.11 	expenditures made in support of the candidate's major political party opponents, as 
11.12 	reported to the board under section 10A.20, subdivision 2, 6, or 6b.

11.13 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.25, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:
11.14 		Subd. 2a.Aggregated expenditures. If a candidate makes expenditures from more 
11.15 	than one principal campaign committee for nomination or election to statewide office 
11.16 	in the same election year cycle, the amount of expenditures from all of the candidate's 
11.17 	principal campaign committees for statewide office for that election year cycle must be 
11.18 	aggregated for purposes of applying the limits on expenditures under subdivision 2.

11.19 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.25, is amended by adding a subdivision 
11.20 	to read:
11.21 		Subd. 14.Independent expenditures by political parties. (a) A political party 
11.22 	or party unit must not make an independent expenditure.
11.23 	(b) A political party that has agreed not to make independent expenditures as a 
11.24 	condition of receiving a public subsidy is released from the prohibition but remains 
11.25 	eligible to receive a public subsidy if a political party that has not agreed to the prohibition 
11.26 	makes an independent expenditure during that election cycle.
11.27 	(c) A political party that has not agreed to the prohibition in this subdivision must 
11.28 	file written notice with the board and serve written notice on every other political party 
11.29 	within 24 hours after making an independent expenditure. The notice must state only that 
11.30 	the political party has made an independent expenditure. Upon receipt of the notice, the 
11.31 	political party that agreed to the prohibition is no longer subject to the prohibition but 
11.32 	remains eligible to receive a public subsidy.

12.1 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.25, is amended by adding a subdivision 
12.2 	to read:
12.3 		Subd. 15.Limits on party caucuses. (a) In a year in which a general election is 
12.4 	held for a house of the legislature, the party unit composed of the members of a party 
12.5 	caucus in that house must not make campaign expenditures that result in aggregate 
12.6 	expenditures in excess of $500,000.
12.7 	(b) During an election cycle, in any year before the general election year for a 
12.8 	house of the legislature, the party unit composed of the members of a party caucus in 
12.9 	that house must not make campaign expenditures that exceed 20 percent of the general 
12.10 	election year limit.
12.11 	(c) A party caucus in a house of the legislature that has agreed to be bound by 
12.12 	the expenditure limits imposed by this subdivision as a condition of receiving a public 
12.13 	subsidy is released from the expenditure limits but remains eligible to receive a public 
12.14 	subsidy if another party caucus in the same house of the legislature has not agreed to 
12.15 	be bound by the limits and has received contributions or made or become obligated to 
12.16 	make expenditures during that election cycle in excess of 50 percent of the expenditure 
12.17 	limit set forth in paragraph (a).
12.18 	(d) A party caucus in a house of the legislature that has not agreed to be bound by 
12.19 	the limits must file written notice with the board and provide written notice to every 
12.20 	other party caucus in the same house of the legislature within 24 hours after exceeding 
12.21 	the limit in paragraph (c). The notice must state only that the party caucus has received 
12.22 	contributions or made or become obligated to make campaign expenditures in excess of 
12.23 	the limit in paragraph (c). Upon receipt of the notice, a party caucus that had agreed to be 
12.24 	bound by the limits is no longer bound by the expenditure limits but remains eligible to 
12.25 	receive a public subsidy.

12.26 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.257, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
12.27 		Subdivision 1.Unused funds. After all campaign expenditures and noncampaign 
12.28 	disbursements for an election cycle have been made, an amount up to 50 percent of the 
12.29 	election year expenditure limit for the office may be carried forward. Any remaining 
12.30 	amount up to the total amount of the public subsidy from the state elections campaign 
12.31 	fund must be returned to the state treasury for credit to the general fund under section 
12.32 	10A.324. Any remaining amount in excess of the total public subsidy must be contributed 
12.33 	to the state elections campaign fund or a political party for multicandidate expenditures as 
12.34 	defined in section 10A.275. 

13.1 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
13.2 		Subdivision 1.Contribution limits. (a) Except as provided in subdivision
13.3 	subdivisions 1a and  2, a candidate must not permit the candidate's principal campaign 
13.4 	committee to accept aggregate contributions made or delivered by any individual, political 
13.5 	committee, or political fund in excess of the following:
13.6 	(1) to candidates for governor and lieutenant governor running together, $2,000
13.7 	$1,000 in an election year for the office sought and $500 in other years cycle;
13.8 	(2) to a candidate for attorney general, $1,000 in an election year for the office 
13.9 	sought and $200 in other years cycle;
13.10 	(3) to a candidate for the office of secretary of state or state auditor, $500 in an 
13.11 	election year for the office sought and $100 in other years cycle;
13.12 	(4) to a candidate for state senator, $500 in an election year for the office sought 
13.13 	and $100 in other years cycle; and
13.14 	(5) to a candidate for state representative, $500 in an election year for the office 
13.15 	sought and $100 in the other year cycle.
13.16 	(b) The following deliveries are not subject to the bundling limitation in this 
13.17 	subdivision:
13.18 	(1) delivery of contributions collected by a member of the candidate's principal 
13.19 	campaign committee, such as a block worker or a volunteer who hosts a fund-raising 
13.20 	event, to the committee's treasurer named in the committee's statement of organization as 
13.21 	an individual authorized to accept contributions on behalf of the committee; and
13.22 	(2) a delivery made by an individual on behalf of the individual's spouse.
13.23 	(c) A lobbyist, political committee, political party unit, or political fund must not 
13.24 	make a contribution a candidate is prohibited from accepting.

13.25 	Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, is amended by adding a subdivision 
13.26 	to read:
13.27 		Subd. 1a.Limit on candidates who agree to spending limit. A candidate who has 
13.28 	signed a spending limit agreement under section 10A.322 must not permit the candidate's 
13.29 	principal campaign committee to accept aggregate contributions made or delivered by an 
13.30 	individual in excess of $100 in any year or by a political committee, political fund, party 
13.31 	unit, or lobbyist in any amount.
13.32 	The following deliveries are not subject to the bundling limitation in this subdivision:
13.33 	(1) delivery of contributions collected by a member of the candidate's principal 
13.34 	campaign committee named in the committee's statement of organization as an individual 
13.35 	authorized to accept contributions on behalf of the committee; and
14.1 	(2) a delivery made by an individual on behalf of the individual's spouse.

14.2 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, subdivision 11, is amended to read:
14.3 		Subd. 11.Contributions from certain types of contributors. A candidate must 
14.4 	not permit the candidate's principal campaign committee to accept a contribution from 
14.5 	a political committee, political fund, party unit, lobbyist, or large contributor, if the 
14.6 	contribution will cause the aggregate contributions from those types of contributors to 
14.7 	exceed an amount equal to 20 percent of the expenditure limits for the office sought by 
14.8 	the candidate, provided that the 20 percent limit must be rounded to the nearest $100. 
14.9 	For purposes of this subdivision, "large contributor" means an individual, other than the 
14.10 	candidate, who contributes an amount that is more than $100 and more than one-half 
14.11 	the amount an individual may contribute.

14.12 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, is amended by adding a subdivision 
14.13 	to read:
14.14 		Subd. 14.Contributions to party caucuses. The chair of a party caucus within 
14.15 	a house of the legislature that is subject to a spending limit agreement under section 
14.16 	10A.322 must not permit the caucus to accept aggregate contributions made or delivered 
14.17 	by an individual in excess of $100 in any year or by a political committee, political fund, 
14.18 	party unit, or lobbyist in any amount.

14.19 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, is amended by adding a subdivision 
14.20 	to read:
14.21 		Subd. 15.Contributions to other political committees or funds. The treasurer of 
14.22 	a political committee, political fund, or party unit must not permit the political committee, 
14.23 	political fund, or party unit to accept aggregate contributions from an individual or 
14.24 	association in an amount more than $500 in an election cycle.

14.25 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.27, is amended by adding a subdivision 
14.26 	to read:
14.27 		Subd. 16.Aggregate limit on individuals. An individual may not contribute 
14.28 	more than $5,000 in aggregate contributions for any purpose to all candidates, political 
14.29 	committees, political funds, and party units in an election cycle for the house of 
14.30 	representatives.

14.31 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.275, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
15.1 		Subdivision 1.Exceptions. Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, the 
15.2 	following expenditures by a party unit, or two or more party units acting together, with at 
15.3 	least one party unit being either: the state committee or the party organization within a 
15.4 	congressional district, county, or legislative district, are not considered contributions to or 
15.5 	expenditures on behalf of a candidate for the purposes of section 10A.25 or 10A.27 and 
15.6 	must not be allocated to candidates under section 10A.20, subdivision 3, paragraph (g): 
15.7 	(1) expenditures on behalf of candidates of that party generally without referring to 
15.8 	any of them specifically in a published, posted, or broadcast advertisement;
15.9 	(2) expenditures for the preparation, display, mailing, or other distribution of an 
15.10 	official party sample ballot listing the names of three or more individuals whose names are 
15.11 	to appear on the ballot; or
15.12 	(3) expenditures for a telephone conversation includingmentioning with roughly 
15.13 	equal emphasis the names of three or more individuals whose names are to appear on 
15.14 	the ballot;
15.15 	(4) expenditures for a political party fund-raising effort on behalf of three or more 
15.16 	candidates; or
15.17 	(5) expenditures for party committee staff services that benefit three or more 
15.18 	candidates.

15.19 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.28, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
15.20 		Subdivision 1.Exceeding expenditure limits. (a) A candidate subject to the 
15.21 	expenditure limits in section 10A.25 who permits the candidate's principal campaign 
15.22 	committee to make expenditures or permits approved expenditures to be made on the 
15.23 	candidate's behalf in excess of the limits imposed by section 10A.25, as adjusted by 
15.24 	section 10A.255, is subject to a civil penalty of up to four times the amount by which the 
15.25 	expenditures exceeded the limit. 
15.26 	(b) The chair of a political party or party unit subject to the prohibition in section 
15.27 	10A.25 that makes expenditures in violation of section 10A.25 is subject to a civil penalty 
15.28 	of up to four times the amount of the expenditures.
15.29 	(c) The chair of a party caucus within a house of the legislature subject to the 
15.30 	expenditure limits in section 10A.25 who permits the caucus to make expenditures in 
15.31 	excess of the limits imposed by section 10A.25, as adjusted by section 10A.255, is subject 
15.32 	to a civil penalty of up to four times the amount by which the expenditures exceeded 
15.33 	the limit.

15.34 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.28, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
16.1 		Subd. 2.Exceeding contribution limits. The following are subject to a civil penalty 
16.2 	of up to four times the amount by which a contribution exceeds the applicable limits:
16.3 	(1) a lobbyist, political committee, or political fund that makes a contribution in 
16.4 	excess of the limits imposed by section 10A.27, subdivisions 1 and 8;
16.5 	(2) a principal campaign committee that makes a contribution in excess of the limits 
16.6 	imposed by section 10A.27, subdivision 2;
16.7 	(3) a political party unit that makes a contribution in excess of the limits imposed by 
16.8 	section 10A.27, subdivisions 2 and 8; or
16.9 	(4) a candidate who permits the candidate's principal campaign committee to accept 
16.10 	contributions in excess of the limits imposed by section 10A.27; or
16.11 	(5) the chair of a party caucus within a house of the legislature who permits the 
16.12 	caucus to accept contributions in excess of the limits imposed by section 10A.27.

16.13 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.315, is amended to read:
16.14 	10A.315 SPECIAL ELECTION SUBSIDY.
16.15 	(a) Each eligible candidate for a legislative office in a special election must be 
16.16 	paid a public subsidy equal to the sum of:
16.17 	(1) the party account money at the last general election for the candidate's party 
16.18 	for the office the candidate is seeking; and
16.19 	(2) the general account moneypublic subsidy paid to a candidate for the same 
16.20 	office at the lasta general election.
16.21 	(b) A candidate who wishes to receive this public subsidy must submit a signed 
16.22 	agreement under section 10A.322 to the board and must meet the contribution 
16.23 	requirements of section 10A.323. The special election subsidy must be distributed in the 
16.24 	same manner as money in the party and general accounts is distributed to legislative 
16.25 	candidates in a general election. 
16.26 	(c) The amount necessary to make the payments required by this section is 
16.27 	appropriated from the general fund to the board.

16.28 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 10A.322, is amended to read:
16.29 	10A.322 SPENDING LIMIT AGREEMENTS.
16.30 		Subdivision 1. Agreement by candidate. (a) As a condition of receiving a public 
16.31 	subsidy, a candidate must sign and file with the board a written agreement in which the 
16.32 	candidate agrees that the candidate will comply with sections 10A.25; 10A.27, subdivision 
16.33 	10; 10A.31, subdivision 7, paragraph (c); 10A.324; and 10A.38. 
17.1 	(b) Before the first day of filing for office, the board must forward agreement forms 
17.2 	to all filing officers. The board must also provide agreement forms to candidates on 
17.3 	request at any time. The candidate must file the agreement with the board by September 1 
17.4 	preceding the candidate's general election or a special election held at the general election
17.5 	not later than the day after the candidate files the affidavit of candidacy for the office. An 
17.6 	agreement may not be filed after that date. An agreement once filed may not be rescinded. 
17.7 	(c) The board must notify the commissioner of revenue of any agreement signed
17.8 	filed under this subdivision. 
17.9 	(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), if a vacancy occurs that will be filled by means 
17.10 	of a special election and the filing period does not coincide with the filing period for the 
17.11 	general election, a candidate may sign and submit a spending limit agreement not later 
17.12 	than the day after the candidate files the affidavit of candidacy or nominating petition 
17.13 	for the office.The agreement, insofar as it relates to the expenditure limits in section 
17.14 	10A.25, as adjusted by section 10A.255, and the contribution limit in section 10A.27, 
17.15 	subdivision 10, remains effective for candidates until the dissolution of the principal 
17.16 	campaign committee of the candidate or the end of the first election cycle completed after 
17.17 	the agreement was filed, whichever occurs first.
17.18 		Subd. 2.How long agreement is effective Agreement by political party. The 
17.19 	agreement, insofar as it relates to the expenditure limits in section 10A.25, as adjusted by 
17.20 	section 10A.255, and the contribution limit in section 10A.27, subdivision 10, remains 
17.21 	effective for candidates until the dissolution of the principal campaign committee of the 
17.22 	candidate or the end of the first election cycle completed after the agreement was filed, 
17.23 	whichever occurs first.(a) As a condition of receiving a public subsidy, the chair of the 
17.24 	state committee of a political party must sign and file with the board a written agreement 
17.25 	in which the state committee agrees that the political party and all its party units, other 
17.26 	than a legislative party caucus, will comply with section 10A.25. An agreement once 
17.27 	filed may not be rescinded.
17.28 	(b) The board must provide agreement forms to political parties on request at any 
17.29 	time. The state chair must file the agreement with the board by February 1 of the general 
17.30 	election year.
17.31 	(c) The spending limit agreement remains in effect until the end of the first general 
17.32 	election cycle completed after the agreement was filed or the dissolution of the political 
17.33 	party, whichever occurs first.
17.34 	(d) The board must notify the commissioner of revenue of an agreement filed under 
17.35 	this subdivision.
18.1 		Subd. 2a.Agreement by party caucus. (a) As a condition of receiving a public 
18.2 	subsidy, the chair of a party caucus in a house of the legislature must sign and file with the 
18.3 	board a written agreement in which the caucus agrees that it will comply with sections 
18.4 	10A.25 and 10A.27, subdivision 14. An agreement once filed may not be rescinded.
18.5 	(b) The board must provide agreement forms to legislative party caucuses on request 
18.6 	at any time. The party caucus must file the agreement with the board by February 1 of 
18.7 	the general election year.
18.8 	(c) The spending limit agreement remains in effect until the end of the first election 
18.9 	cycle completed after the agreement was filed or the dissolution of the legislative party 
18.10 	caucus, whichever occurs first.
18.11 	(d) The board must notify the commissioner of revenue of an agreement filed under 
18.12 	this subdivision.
18.13 		Subd. 4.Refund receipt forms; penalty. (a) The board must make available to a 
18.14 	political party on request and to any candidate, political party, or legislative party caucus
18.15 	for whom an agreement under this section is effective, a supply of official refund receipt 
18.16 	forms that state in boldface type that (1) a contributor who is given a receipt form is 
18.17 	eligible to claim a refund as provided in section 290.06, subdivision 23, and (2) if the 
18.18 	contribution is to a candidate, that the candidate, political party, or legislative party caucus
18.19 	has signed an agreement to limit campaign expenditures as provided in this section. The 
18.20 	forms must provide duplicate copies of the receipt to be attached to the contributor's claim. 
18.21 	A principal campaign committee or party unit must return to the board with its termination 
18.22 	report or destroy any official receipt forms that have not been issued.
18.23 	(b) A candidate who does not sign an agreement under this section and who willfully 
18.24 	issues an official refund receipt form or a facsimile of one to any of the candidate's 
18.25 	contributors is guilty of a misdemeanor. If the state chair of a political party has not 
18.26 	signed an agreement under this section and the chair of a party unit willfully issues an 
18.27 	official refund receipt form or a facsimile of one to any of the party's contributors, the 
18.28 	chair of the party unit is guilty of a misdemeanor. If the chair of a legislative party caucus 
18.29 	has not signed an agreement under this section and the caucus chair willfully issues an 
18.30 	official refund receipt form or a facsimile of one to any of the caucus' contributors, the 
18.31 	caucus chair is guilty of a misdemeanor.

18.32 	Sec. 28. [10A.3235] PUBLIC SUBSIDY TO CANDIDATES.
18.33 		Subdivision 1.Appropriation. In each general election year there is appropriated 
18.34 	from the general fund a sum sufficient to pay the public subsidy provided for in this section.
19.1 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. A candidate who has duly filed a spending limit agreement 
19.2 	under section 10A.322, an affidavit of contributions under section 10A.323, and an 
19.3 	affidavit of candidacy under section 204B.06, and who is opposed in either the primary or 
19.4 	general election is eligible to receive a public subsidy under this section. Upon determining 
19.5 	that a candidate is eligible, the board must designate the candidate as participating.
19.6 		Subd. 3.Form of payment. The payment must be in the form of a check made 
19.7 	payable to "the campaign fund of ..... (name of candidate) ......" A check may include as an 
19.8 	additional payee a financial institution named by the candidate in a notice filed with the 
19.9 	board at least ten days before the payment was due to be made. Once the notice has been 
19.10 	filed, the candidate may not remove or change the name of the additional payee without 
19.11 	filing with the board the written approval of the financial institution previously named.
19.12 		Subd. 4.Payment for primary election. Within ten days after the close of filings 
19.13 	for office, the board must pay each participating candidate who has an opponent in a major 
19.14 	party primary a public subsidy equal to 25 percent of the candidate's spending limit.
19.15 		Subd. 5.Payment for general election. As soon as the board has obtained from the 
19.16 	secretary of state the results of the primary election, but no later than one week after the 
19.17 	State Canvassing Board has certified the results of the primary, the board must pay to each 
19.18 	participating candidate whose name will appear on the ballot and who has an opponent in 
19.19 	the general election a public subsidy equal to 65 percent of the candidate's spending limit, 
19.20 	less any amount paid under subdivision 4.
19.21 		Subd. 6.Payment to match excess spending. Within five days after receipt of a 
19.22 	report of excess spending under section 10A.20, subdivision 2, 6, or 6c, the board must 
19.23 	notify any participating opponent of the nonparticipating candidate of the amount of 
19.24 	increase in the spending limit of the participating candidate and pay the participating 
19.25 	candidate an additional public subsidy. The amount of this subsidy is equal to the amount 
19.26 	of the excess spending reported, subject to the limit in subdivision 8.
19.27 		Subd. 7.Payment to match independent expenditures. (a) Within five days 
19.28 	after receipt of a notice of independent expenditures under section 10A.20, subdivision 
19.29 	2, 6, or 6c, the board must notify a participating candidate of the amount of increase 
19.30 	in the spending limit of the participating candidate and pay the participating candidate 
19.31 	an additional public subsidy as provided in this subdivision, subject to the limit in 
19.32 	subdivision 8.
19.33 	(b) If the independent expenditure advocates the defeat of a participating candidate, 
19.34 	the board must pay a subsidy to the participating candidate equal to the independent 
19.35 	expenditure.
20.1 	(c) If the independent expenditure advocates the election of a participating candidate, 
20.2 	the board must pay a subsidy to each participating opponent of the candidate equal to the 
20.3 	independent expenditure.
20.4 	(d) If the independent expenditure advocates the election of a nonparticipating 
20.5 	candidate, the board must pay a subsidy to each participating opponent of the candidate. 
20.6 	The amount of the public subsidy is the amount by which the sum of campaign 
20.7 	expenditures by the nonparticipating candidate plus the independent expenditure exceeds 
20.8 	the public subsidy previously paid or due to the participating candidate.
20.9 	(e) For purposes of this subdivision, before the primary election, "opponent" means 
20.10 	a candidate whose name is on the ballot for the primary of the same major party or, if 
20.11 	there is none, a candidate whose name will be on the ballot for the general election. If 
20.12 	an independent expenditure that advocates the election of a candidate is made before the 
20.13 	primary, and the candidate wins the primary, "opponent" also means any other candidate 
20.14 	whose name will appear on the ballot in the general election, but the notice required by 
20.15 	this subdivision need not be given and the public subsidy need not be paid until one week 
20.16 	after the State Canvassing Board has certified the results or the primary.
20.17 		Subd. 8.Overall limit. The total public subsidy paid to a participating candidate 
20.18 	under this section may not exceed ten times the candidate's original spending limit.

20.19 	Sec. 29. [10A.3237] PUBLIC SUBSIDY TO POLITICAL PARTIES.
20.20 		Subdivision 1.Appropriation.  In each general election year there is appropriated 
20.21 	from the general fund a sum sufficient to pay the public subsidy provided for in this section.
20.22 		Subd. 2.Certification. By February 1 of each general election year, the secretary of 
20.23 	state must certify to the board the name and mailing address of each major political party.
20.24 		Subd. 3.Payment to state committee. By August 1 in each general election year, 
20.25 	the board must pay to the state committee of each major political party that has signed and 
20.26 	filed with the board a spending limit agreement under section 10A.322 a public subsidy of 
20.27 	$200,000, plus $200,000 if the state committee of any other major political party has not 
20.28 	likewise signed and filed with the board a spending limit agreement. 
20.29 		Subd. 4.Payment to legislative caucus. (a) By August 1 in each general election 
20.30 	year, the board must pay a public subsidy to each major political party caucus in a house of 
20.31 	the legislature that has a general election that year, if the caucus has at least ten members 
20.32 	in the senate or 20 members in the house of representatives and the caucus chair has 
20.33 	signed and filed with the board a spending limit agreement under section 10A.322. The 
20.34 	amount of the subsidy is $100,000, plus $100,000 if the chair of any other major political 
20.35 	party caucus in the same house with at least ten members in the senate or 20 members in 
21.1 	the house or representatives has not likewise signed and filed with the board a spending 
21.2 	limit agreement.
21.3 	(b) A legislative major party caucus may, by a written notice filed with the board, 
21.4 	waive its right to all or part of its allocation under paragraph (a) and the board must 
21.5 	reallocate to the state committee the amount waived.
21.6 		Subd. 5.Use of public subsidy. Money allocated to a party unit under subdivision 
21.7 	3 or 4 must be deposited in a separate account and must not be spent to support any 
21.8 	candidate who has not signed and filed with the board a spending limit agreement.

21.9 	Sec. 30. [10A.39] PUBLIC DEBATES.
21.10 	As a condition of receiving a public subsidy, a candidate must agree to participate 
21.11 	in at least two public debates before the primary and at least two public debates before 
21.12 	the general election with the candidate's major political party opponents if a statewide 
21.13 	nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with experience in sponsoring the debates at the state 
21.14 	or national level offers to sponsor a debate between the candidate and the candidate's 
21.15 	major party opponents. For purposes of this section, "nonpartisan" means that the 
21.16 	organization does not endorse candidates, contribute to candidates, or make independent 
21.17 	expenditures and does not have any affiliate organizations that do. Disputes concerning 
21.18 	scheduling and conduct of debates must be mediated by the Bureau of Mediation Services.

21.19 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 200.02, is amended by adding a subdivision 
21.20 	to read:
21.21 		Subd. 25.Party unit. "Party unit" means the state committee or the party 
21.22 	organization within a house of the legislature, congressional district, county, legislative 
21.23 	district, municipality, or precinct.

21.24 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 290.06, subdivision 23, is amended to read:
21.25 		Subd. 23.Refund of contributions to political parties and candidates. (a) A 
21.26 	taxpayer may claim a refund equal to the amount of the taxpayer's contributions made 
21.27 	in the calendar year to candidates and to a political party. The maximum refund for an 
21.28 	individual must not exceed $50 $100 and for a married couple, filing jointly, must not 
21.29 	exceed $100 $200. A refund of a contribution is allowed only if the taxpayer files a form 
21.30 	required by the commissioner and attaches to the form a copy of an official refund receipt 
21.31 	form issued by the candidate or party and signed by the candidate, the treasurer of the 
21.32 	candidate's principal campaign committee, or the chair or treasurer of the party unit, after 
21.33 	the contribution was received. The receipt forms must be numbered, and the data on the 
22.1 	receipt that are not public must be made available to the campaign finance and public 
22.2 	disclosure board upon its request. A claim must be filed with the commissioner no sooner 
22.3 	than January 1 of the calendar year in which the contribution was made and no later 
22.4 	than April 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the contribution 
22.5 	was made. A taxpayer may file only one claim per calendar year. Amounts paid by the 
22.6 	commissioner after June 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the 
22.7 	contribution was made must include interest at the rate specified in section 270C.405.
22.8 	(b) No refund is allowed under this subdivision for a contribution to a candidate 
22.9 	unless the candidate:
22.10 	(1) has signed and filed an agreement to limit campaign expenditures as provided 
22.11 	in section 10A.322;
22.12 	(2) is seeking an office for which voluntary spending limits are specified in section 
22.13 	10A.25; and
22.14 	(3) has designated a principal campaign committee.
22.15 	This subdivision does not limit the campaign expenditures of a candidate who does 
22.16 	not sign an agreement but accepts a contribution for which the contributor improperly 
22.17 	claims a refund.
22.18 	No refund is allowed under this subdivision for a contribution to a political party or 
22.19 	party unit unless the state chair of the political party has signed and filed an agreement to 
22.20 	limit campaign expenditures as provided in section 10A.322.
22.21 	No refund is allowed under this subdivision for a contribution to a party unit that is a 
22.22 	legislative party caucus unless the chair of the legislative party caucus has signed and filed 
22.23 	an agreement to limit campaign expenditures as provided in section 10A.322.
22.24 	(c) For purposes of this subdivision, "political party" means a major political party as 
22.25 	defined in section 200.02, subdivision 7, or a minor political party qualifying for inclusion 
22.26 	on the income tax or property tax refund form under section 10A.31, subdivision 3a has 
22.27 	the meaning given it in section 10A.01, subdivision 29.
22.28 	A "major party" or "minor party" includes the aggregate of that party's organization 
22.29 	within each house of the legislature, the state party organization, and the party organization 
22.30 	within congressional districts, counties, legislative districts, municipalities, and precincts
22.31 	"Party unit" has the meaning given it in section 10A.01, subdivision 30.
22.32 	"Candidate" means a candidate as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 10, except 
22.33 	a candidate for judicial office.
22.34 	"Contribution" means a gift of money.
22.35 	(d) The commissioner shall make copies of the form available to the public and 
22.36 	candidates upon request.
23.1 	(e) The following data collected or maintained by the commissioner under this 
23.2 	subdivision are private: the identities of individuals claiming a refund, the identities 
23.3 	of candidates to whom those individuals have made contributions, and the amount of 
23.4 	each contribution.
23.5 	(f) The commissioner shall report to the campaign finance and public disclosure 
23.6 	board by each August 1 a summary showing the total number and aggregate amount of 
23.7 	political contribution refunds made on behalf of each candidate and each political party. 
23.8 	These data are public.
23.9 	(g) The amount necessary to pay claims for the refund provided in this section is 
23.10 	appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of revenue.
23.11 	(h) For a taxpayer who files a claim for refund via the Internet or other electronic 
23.12 	means, the commissioner may accept the number on the official receipt as documentation 
23.13 	that a contribution was made rather than the actual receipt as required by paragraph (a).

23.14 	Sec. 33. TRANSITION.
 23.15 		Subdivision 1.Election cycle. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 10A.01, 
23.16 	subdivision 16, the first election cycle begins on the effective date of sections 1 to 34 and 
23.17 	concludes on December 31 following the next general election for the office.
23.18 		Subd. 2.Contribution limits. Contributions to a candidate that were made before 
23.19 	the effective date of sections 1 to 34 and were lawful when made need not be refunded, 
23.20 	even though they exceed the new limits on contributions in sections 1 to 34.
23.21 		Subd. 3.Expenditure limits. All spending limit agreements filed with the 
23.22 	Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board before the effective date of sections 1 
23.23 	to 34 become void on that date and all eligibility for continued public subsidies under 
23.24 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A or 290, is ended on that date. The new expenditure 
23.25 	limits and eligibility for a public subsidy under sections 1 to 34 apply to candidates who 
23.26 	sign and file with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board a new spending 
23.27 	limit agreement under Minnesota Statutes, section 10A.322, on or after the effective 
23.28 	date of sections 1 to 34.

23.29 	Sec. 34.  REPEALER.
 23.30 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 10A.25, subdivision 6; and 10A.31, subdivisions 
23.31 	1, 3, 3a, 5, 5a, 6, 6a, 7, 10, 10a, 10b, and 11, are repealed.
23.32 	Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 10A.31, subdivision 4, is repealed.

23.33 	Sec. 35. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 24.1 	Sections 1 to 34 are effective the day following final enactment. The spending limits 
24.2 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 10A.25, subdivision 2, as amended by section 12, apply 
24.3 	to the general election in 2010 and must not be adjusted for inflation under Minnesota 
24.4 	Statutes, section 10A.255, until the 2012 election cycle.