as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
A bill for an act
relating to elections; clarifying right of access for certain persons to multiple unit
residences for campaign and election purposes; amending Minnesota Statutes
2006, section 211B.20.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 211B.20, is amended to read:
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 tonew text begin :new text end a candidate who has filed for
election to public office deleted text begin or todeleted text end new text begin ;new text end campaign workers accompanied by the candidatedeleted text begin , if the
candidate and workers seeking admittance to the facility do so solely for the purpose of
campaigning.deleted text end new text begin ; or individuals working for a committee organized to promote or defeat a
ballot question. A candidate, campaign workers, or individuals working for a committee
organized to promote or defeat a ballot question may only seek access to a facility as
provided in this section to campaign, register voters, get out the vote, or distribute
informational materials regarding an upcoming election.new text end A violation of this section is a
petty misdemeanor.
Subdivision 1 does not prohibit:
(1) denial of admittance into a particular apartment, room, manufactured home, or
personal residential unit;
(2) requiring reasonable and proper identification as a necessary prerequisite to
admission to a multiple unit dwelling;
(3) in the case of a nursing home, denial of permission to visit certain persons for
valid health reasons;
(4) limiting visits deleted text begin by candidates or workers accompanied by the candidatedeleted text end to a
reasonable number of persons or reasonable hoursnew text begin , provided that the reasonable hours
include evenings or other times when residents of the facility are likely to be presentnew text end ;
new text begin
(5) students not formally affiliated with a candidate or candidate's committee from
accompanying the candidate through a dormitory on a college or university campus;
new text end
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end requiring a prior appointment to gain access to the facility; or
deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end denial of admittance to or expulsion from a multiple unit dwelling for good
cause.