HF 3164

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; authorizing gifts of food or a beverage to public officials
under certain conditions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement,
section 10A.071, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 10A.071, subdivision 3,
is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Exceptions.

(a) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is:

(1) a contribution as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 11;

(2) services to assist an official in the performance of official duties, including
but not limited to providing advice, consultation, information, and communication in
connection with legislation, and services to constituents;

(3) services of insignificant monetary value;

(4) a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual services in a field of
specialty or to a charitable cause;

(5) a trinket or memento costing $5 or less;

(6) informational material of unexceptional value; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(7) food or a beverage given at a reception, meal, or meeting away from the
recipient's place of work by an organization before whom the recipient appears to make a
speech or answer questions as part of a program new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (8) food or a beverage given at a reception held within the seven-county metropolitan
area and to which all members of the legislature have been invited and the cost does not
exceed $15 for each legislator; or
new text end

new text begin (9) food or a beverage, not to exceed $15 for each legislator, that is consumed at a
formal meeting or briefing scheduled during the interim that has a specific agenda and that
is convened or attended by constituents to discuss issues coming before the legislature
with legislators who represent those constituents new text end .

(b) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is given:

(1) because of the recipient's membership in a group, a majority of whose members
are not officials, and an equivalent gift is given to the other members of the group; or

(2) by a lobbyist or principal who is a member of the family of the recipient, unless
the gift is given on behalf of someone who is not a member of that family.

Sec. 2. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin This act is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end