HF 237

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; requiring preelection reports of certain contributions to
political committees, political funds, and party units; changing preelection
reporting requirements for contributions to candidates; increasing contribution
limits for candidates for secretary of state or state auditor; advancing deadline
to file affidavit of contributions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections
10A.14, subdivision 1; 10A.20, subdivision 5; 10A.27, subdivision 1; 10A.323.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

First registration.

The treasurer of a political committee, political
fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit must register with the board by filing a
statement of organization no later than 14 days after the committee, fund, or party unit has
made a contribution, received contributions, or made expenditures in excess of $100, or
within 24 hours after it has received a loan or contribution that must be reported under
section 10A.20, subdivision 5, whichever is earlier.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.20, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Preelection reports.

Any loan, contribution, or contributions to a political
committee, political fund, or party unit from any one source totaling $800 or more, or
in a statewide election any loan, contribution, or contributions to a candidate from any
one source totaling $2,000 $800 or more, or to a candidate in any judicial district or
legislative election totaling more than $400, received between the last day covered in the
last report before an election and the election must be reported to the board in one of
the following ways:

(1) in person within 48 24 hours after its receipt;

(2) by telegram or mailgram within 48 hours after its receipt;

(3) by certified mail sent within 48 hours after its receipt; or

(4)(2) by electronic means sent within 48 24 hours after its receipt.

These loans and contributions must also be reported in the next required report.

The 48-hour 24-hour notice requirement does not apply with respect to a primary in
which the statewide or legislative candidate is unopposed.

The board must post the report on its Web site within 24 hours after it is received.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.27, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Contribution limits.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision 2,
a candidate must not permit the candidate's principal campaign committee to accept
aggregate contributions made or delivered by any individual, political committee, or
political fund in excess of the following:

(1) to candidates for governor and lieutenant governor running together, $2,000 in
an election year for the office sought and $500 in other years;

(2) to a candidate for attorney general, secretary of state, or state auditor, $1,000 in
an election year for the office sought and $200 in other years;

(3) to a candidate for the office of secretary of state or state auditor, $500 in an
election year for the office sought and $100 in other years;

(4) to a candidate for state senator, $500 in an election year for the office sought and
$100 in other years; and

(5) (4) to a candidate for state representative, $500 in an election year for the office
sought and $100 in the other year.

(b) The following deliveries are not subject to the bundling limitation in this
subdivision:

(1) delivery of contributions collected by a member of the candidate's principal
campaign committee, such as a block worker or a volunteer who hosts a fund-raising
event, to the committee's treasurer; and

(2) a delivery made by an individual on behalf of the individual's spouse.

(c) A lobbyist, political committee, political party unit, or political fund must not
make a contribution a candidate is prohibited from accepting.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.323, is amended to read:

10A.323 AFFIDAVIT OF CONTRIBUTIONS.

In addition to the requirements of section 10A.322, to be eligible to receive a public
subsidy under section 10A.31 a candidate or the candidate's treasurer must file an affidavit
with the board stating that during that calendar year the candidate has accumulated
contributions from persons eligible to vote in this state in at least the amount indicated for
the office sought, counting only the first $50 received from each contributor:

(1) candidates for governor and lieutenant governor running together, $35,000;

(2) candidates for attorney general, $15,000;

(3) candidates for secretary of state and state auditor, separately, $6,000;

(4) candidates for the senate, $3,000; and

(5) candidates for the house of representatives, $1,500.

The affidavit must state the total amount of contributions that have been received
from persons eligible to vote in this state, disregarding the portion of any contribution in
excess of $50.

The candidate or the candidate's treasurer must submit the affidavit required by this
section to the board in writing by September 1 of the general election year the deadline for
reporting receipts and expenditures before a primary under section 10A.20, subdivision 2.

A candidate for a vacancy to be filled at a special election for which the filing period
does not coincide with the filing period for the general election must submit the affidavit
required by this section to the board within five days after filing the affidavit of candidacy.

Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This act is effective July 1, 2007, and applies to contributions made on or after
that date.