1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to local government; providing a limited 
  1.3             exemption for attendees at a conference or event; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 471.895, 
  1.5             subdivision 3. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 471.895, 
  1.8   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 3.  [EXCEPTIONS.] (a) The prohibitions in this 
  1.10  section do not apply if the gift is: 
  1.11     (1) a contribution as defined in section 211A.01, 
  1.12  subdivision 5; 
  1.13     (2) services to assist an official in the performance of 
  1.14  official duties, including but not limited to providing advice, 
  1.15  consultation, information, and communication in connection with 
  1.16  legislation, and services to constituents; 
  1.17     (3) services of insignificant monetary value; 
  1.18     (4) a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual 
  1.19  services in a field of specialty or to a charitable cause; 
  1.20     (5) a trinket or memento of insignificant value; 
  1.21     (6) informational material of unexceptional value; or 
  1.22     (7) food or a beverage given at a reception, meal, or 
  1.23  meeting away from the recipient's place of work by an 
  1.24  organization before whom the recipient appears to make a speech 
  1.25  or answer questions as part of a program. 
  2.1      (b) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the 
  2.2   gift is given: 
  2.3      (1) because of the recipient's membership in a group, a 
  2.4   majority of whose members are not local officials, and an 
  2.5   equivalent gift is given or offered to the other members of the 
  2.6   group; or 
  2.7      (2) by an interested person who is a member of the family 
  2.8   of the recipient, unless the gift is given on behalf of someone 
  2.9   who is not a member of that family.; or 
  2.10     (3) by a national or multistate organization of 
  2.11  governmental organizations or public officials, if a majority of 
  2.12  the dues to the organization are paid from public funds, to 
  2.13  attendees at a conference sponsored by that organization, if the 
  2.14  gift is food or a beverage given at a reception or meal and an 
  2.15  equivalent gift is given or offered to all other attendees. 
  2.16     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.17     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.