1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to campaign finance; restricting certain contributions and gifts;amending 
1.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 10A.071; 10A.27, by adding a subdivision.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.071, is amended to read:
1.6 	10A.071 CERTAIN GIFTS BY LOBBYISTS AND PRINCIPALS
1.7 	PROHIBITED.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this 
1.9 	section.
1.10 	(b) "Gift" means money, real or personal property, a service, a loan, a forbearance or 
1.11 	forgiveness of indebtedness, or a promise of future employment, that is given and received 
1.12 	without the giver receiving consideration of equal or greater value in return.
1.13 	(c) "Official" means a public official, an employee of the legislature, or a local 
1.14 	official of a metropolitan governmental unit.
1.15 	(d) "Party" means an individual or entity named in a judicial proceeding, or an 
1.16 	individual or entity whose interests have come or are likely to come before a judge in this 
1.17 	state. "Party" also includes an individual or entity's attorney or legal representative and in 
1.18 	the case of an attorney, the law firm or legal organization at which the attorney is employed.
1.19 		Subd. 2.Prohibition. (a) A lobbyist or principal may not give a gift or request 
1.20 	another to give a gift to an official. An official may not accept a gift from a lobbyist or 
1.21 	principal.
1.22 	(b) A party may not give a gift or request another to give a gift to a judge, if the party 
1.23 	has appeared or is likely to appear before the judge in a judicial proceeding. A judge may 
2.1 	not accept a gift from a party who has appeared, or who is scheduled or is likely to appear 
2.2 	before the judge in a judicial proceeding.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Exceptions. (a) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is:
2.4 	(1) a contribution as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 11;
2.5 	(2) services to assist an official in the performance of official duties, including 
2.6 	but not limited to providing advice, consultation, information, and communication in 
2.7 	connection with legislation, and services to constituents;
2.8 	(3) services of insignificant monetary value;
2.9 	(4) a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual services in a field of 
2.10 	specialty or to a charitable cause;
2.11 	(5) a trinket or memento costing $5 or less;
2.12 	(6) informational material of unexceptional value; or
2.13 	(7) food or a beverage given at a reception, meal, or meeting away from the 
2.14 	recipient's place of work by an organization before whom the recipient appears to make a 
2.15 	speech or answer questions as part of a program.
2.16 	(b) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is given:
2.17 	(1) because of the recipient's membership in a group, a majority of whose members 
2.18 	are not officials or in the case of a judge, a majority of whose members are not judges, and 
2.19 	an equivalent gift is given to the other members of the group; or
2.20 	(2) by a lobbyist or principal who is a member of the family of the recipient, unless 
2.21 	the gift is given on behalf of someone who is not a member of that family.

2.22 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.27, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.23 	to read:
2.24 		Subd. 14.Contributions to political committees or party units within the 
2.25 	legislature. A political committee or party unit established by all or a part of the party 
2.26 	organization within a house of the legislature, including the party organization itself, or 
2.27 	any other entity organized within a house of the legislature, must not solicit or accept a 
2.28 	contribution from an individual, political committee, or political fund at any time. The 
2.29 	house of representatives and the senate must adopt rules implementing this provision.