2001 Minnesota Statutes

     10A.04 Lobbyist reports. 

    Subdivision 1.    Reports required.  A lobbyist must 
 file reports of the lobbyist's activities with the board as long 
 as the lobbyist continues to lobby.  A lobbyist may file a 
 termination statement at any time after ceasing to lobby. 

    Subd. 2.    Time of reports.  Each report must cover the 
 time from the last day of the period covered by the last report 
 to 15 days before the current filing date.  The reports must be 
 filed with the board by the following dates: 

    (1) January 15; 

    (2) April 15; and 

    (3) July 15.  

    Subd. 3.    Information to lobbyist.  An employer or 
 employee about whose activities a lobbyist is required to report 
 must provide the information required by subdivision 4 to the 
 lobbyist no later than five days before the prescribed filing 
 date. 

    Subd. 4.    Content.  (a) A report under this section 
 must include information the board requires from the 
 registration form and the information required by this 
 subdivision for the reporting period. 

    (b) A lobbyist must report the lobbyist's total 
 disbursements on lobbying, separately listing lobbying to 
 influence legislative action, lobbying to influence 
 administrative action, and lobbying to influence the official 
 actions of a metropolitan governmental unit, and a breakdown of 
 disbursements for each of those kinds of lobbying into 
 categories specified by the board, including but not limited to 
 the cost of publication and distribution of each publication 
 used in lobbying; other printing; media, including the cost of 
 production; postage; travel; fees, including allowances; 
 entertainment; telephone and telegraph; and other expenses. 

    (c) A lobbyist must report the amount and nature of each 
 gift, item, or benefit, excluding contributions to a candidate, 
 equal in value to $5 or more, given or paid to any official, as 
 defined in section 10A.071, subdivision 1, by the lobbyist or an 
 employer or employee of the lobbyist.  The list must include the 
 name and address of each official to whom the gift, item, or 
 benefit was given or paid and the date it was given or paid.  

    (d) Each lobbyist must report each original source of money 
 in excess of $500 in any year used for the purpose of lobbying 
 to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the 
 official action of a metropolitan governmental unit.  The list 
 must include the name, address, and employer, or, if 
 self-employed, the occupation and principal place of business, 
 of each payer of money in excess of $500. 

    Subd. 4a. Repealed by amendment, 1999 c 220 s 5 

    Subd. 5.    Late filing.  The board must notify by 
 certified mail or personal service any lobbyist who fails after 
 seven days after a filing date imposed by this section to file a 
 report or statement required by this section.  If a lobbyist 
 fails to file a report within seven days after receiving this 
 notice, the board may impose a late filing fee of $5 per day, 
 not to exceed $100, commencing with the eighth day after 
 receiving notice.  The board must further notify by certified 
 mail or personal service any lobbyist who fails to file a report 
 within 21 days after receiving a first notice that the lobbyist 
 may be subject to a criminal penalty for failure to file the 
 report.  A lobbyist who knowingly fails to file such a report or 
 statement within seven days after receiving a second notice from 
 the board is guilty of a misdemeanor. 

    Subd. 6.    Principal reports.  (a) A principal must 
 report to the board as required in this subdivision by March 15 
 for the preceding calendar year. 

    (b) The principal must report which of the following 
 categories includes the total amount, rounded to the nearest 
 dollar, spent by the principal during the preceding calendar 
 year to influence legislative action, administrative action, and 
 the official action of metropolitan governmental units: 

    (1) $501 to $50,000; 

    (2) $50,001 to $150,000; or 

    (3) $150,001 to $250,000. 

    (c) Beyond $250,000, each additional $250,000 constitutes 
 an additional category, and each principal must report which of 
 the categories includes the total amount spent by the principal 
 for the purposes provided in this subdivision. 

    (d) The principal must report under this subdivision a 
 total amount that includes: 

    (1) all direct payments by the principal to lobbyists in 
 this state; 

    (2) all expenditures for advertising, mailing, research, 
 analysis, compilation and dissemination of information, and 
 public relations campaigns related to legislative action, 
 administrative action, or the official action of metropolitan 
 governmental units in this state; and 

    (3) all salaries and administrative expenses attributable 
 to activities of the principal relating to efforts to influence 
 legislative action, administrative action, or the official 
 action of metropolitan governmental units in this state. 

    Subd. 7.    Financial records.  The board may randomly 
 audit the financial records of lobbyists and principals required 
 to report under this section. 

    Subd. 8. Repealed by amendment, 1999 c 220 s 5 

    HIST: 1974 c 470 s 4; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1976 c 307 s 9,10; 1978 
 c 463 s 30-32; 1984 c 654 art 2 s 37; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 
 art 1 s 3; 1990 c 608 art 1 s 7-11; 1993 c 318 art 2 s 5; 1994 c 
 377 s 2; 1999 c 220 s 5,50