Minnesota Session Laws - 2001, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 93-S.F.No. 1441 
                  An act relating to local government; providing a 
                  limited exemption for attendees at a conference or 
                  event; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 
                  471.895, subdivision 3. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 471.895, 
        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 211A.01, 
        subdivision 5; 
           (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 of insignificant value; 
           (6) informational material of unexceptional value; or 
           (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. 
           (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 local officials, and an 
        equivalent gift is given or offered to the other members of the 
        group; or 
           (2) by an interested person 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.; or 
           (3) by a national or multistate organization of 
        governmental organizations or public officials, if a majority of 
        the dues to the organization are paid from public funds, to 
        attendees at a conference sponsored by that organization, if the 
        gift is food or a beverage given at a reception or meal and an 
        equivalent gift is given or offered to all other attendees. 
           Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment. 
           Presented to the governor May 10, 2001 
           Signed by the governor May 14, 2001, 2:56 p.m.