SF 160

1st Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:11am

A bill for an act
relating to elections; allowing certain persons access to multiple unit residences
for certain campaign and election purposes; expanding certain exceptions to
access provided to multiple unit residences for certain campaign purposes;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 211B.20, subdivisions 1, 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 211B.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prohibition.

new text begin (a) new text end 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 to a candidate who has
deleted text begin filed for election to public office deleted text end new text begin organized a campaign committee as permitted by state
or federal law, or otherwise notified a public official, for the purpose of seeking election
to a public office at the next general election to be held for that office, new text end or to campaign
workers accompanied by the candidate, if new text begin :
new text end

new text begin (1) new text end the candidate and workers seeking admittance to the facility do so deleted text begin solely deleted text end new text begin
exclusively new text end for the purpose of campaigning new text begin for a candidate or registering voters; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the candidate and any campaign workers accompanying the candidate are within
the territory for which the candidate is currently on file for election new text end .

new text begin (b) A candidate and campaign workers obtaining access under this section must be
permitted to leave campaign materials for residents at their doors, except that the manager
of a nursing home may direct that the campaign materials be left at a central location. The
materials must be left in an orderly manner.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end A violation of this section is a petty misdemeanor.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 211B.20, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Exceptions.

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, new text begin or a registered housing with services establishment
providing assisted living services meeting the requirements of section 144G.03,
subdivision 2, new text end denial of permission to visit certain persons for valid health reasons;

(4) limiting visits by candidates or workers accompanied by the candidate to a
reasonable number of persons or reasonable hours;

(5) requiring a prior appointment to gain access to the facility; or

(6) denial of admittance to or expulsion from a multiple unit dwelling for good cause.