2019 Minnesota Statutes

10A.173 NONCAMPAIGN DISBURSEMENTS.

Subdivision 1.Services for a constituent.

(a) The cost of services for a constituent performed from the beginning of the term of office to adjournment sine die of the legislature in the election year for the office held are noncampaign disbursements. One-half of the cost of services for a constituent performed from adjournment sine die to 60 days after adjournment sine die are noncampaign disbursements.

(b) During the periods provided in paragraph (a), a candidate's committee may claim the following expenses as a noncampaign disbursement for services for a constituent under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (6):

(1) the cost of a charter bus to transport constituents to an educational day held at the State Capitol during a legislative session;

(2) the cost of hiring an intern that is directly attributable to the intern's provision of services for constituents;

(3) the cost of congratulatory letters sent to the office holder's constituents that include information about government services available to the recipient or how the recipient can register to vote;

(4) the cost of food or beverages consumed by a constituent during a meeting with the office holder, in compliance with section 211B.13;

(5) the cost of food and beverages consumed by the candidate or volunteers when the candidate or volunteers are distributing communications that qualify as services to a constituent; and

(6) the cost of printing and distributing a review of legislative action and issues to the office holder's constituents if the distribution occurs prior to the sine die adjournment of the legislature.

If the review of legislative action described in clause (6) is distributed after the legislature adjourns sine die, the printing and distribution costs must be prorated between noncampaign disbursements and campaign expenditures as described in paragraph (a), even if the printing occurred prior to adjournment.

(c) A communication prepared as a service for a constituent must include the disclaimer required by section 211B.04 when the communication is disseminated after adjournment sine die of the legislature in the election year for the office held.

Subd. 2.Food and beverages while campaigning.

A candidate's committee may not claim the cost of food and beverages consumed by the candidate and volunteers when the candidate and volunteers are campaigning outside of the candidate's district, unless the committee intends to terminate and complies with section 10A.27, subdivision 9, paragraph (b), as noncampaign disbursements under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (7).

Subd. 3.Food and beverages; legislative duties.

(a) A candidate's committee may claim the expense of food and beverages consumed by other legislators or legislative staff at a reception or meeting as a noncampaign disbursement under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (8).

(b) Except as provided by paragraph (a), a candidate's committee may not claim the expense of food and beverages consumed by individuals other than the legislator at a reception or meeting as a noncampaign disbursement under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (8).

Subd. 4.Expenses for serving in public office.

(a) A candidate's committee may claim the following expenses as noncampaign disbursements for expenses for serving in public office under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (10):

(1) the cost of transportation, lodging, meals, and other expenses necessary to attend meetings and conferences when the reason that the candidate attends the event is to assist the candidate in performing the duties of the office held and the candidate would not attend the event if the candidate were not an office holder;

(2) the cost of traveling to the State Capitol for scheduled legislative committee meetings and regular and special legislative sessions when those costs are not reimbursed by another source; and

(3) the cost of meals for legislative staff while the staff member is engaged in performing legislative work for the candidate.

(b) A candidate's committee may not claim the following expenses as noncampaign disbursements for expenses for serving in public office under section 10A.01, subdivision 26, paragraph (a), clause (10):

(1) the cost of membership fees and dues necessary to belong to organizations located in the office holder's district;

(2) costs incurred for transportation, lodging, and other expenses for trips taken outside of the office holder's district for the purpose of relationship building; and

(3) costs incurred for transportation, lodging, and other expenses by an individual accompanying an office holder on a trip unless the office holder is a person with a disability, as defined in section 363A.03, subdivision 12, and the accompanying individual is providing services that are made necessary by the disability.

Clause (3) does not require a committee to allocate a travel expense between an office holder and an individual accompanying the office holder on a trip when the presence of the accompanying individual does not increase the amount of the expense.

History:

2018 c 119 s 21; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 4