2020 Minnesota Statutes

471.895 CERTAIN GIFTS BY INTERESTED PERSONS PROHIBITED.

Subdivision 1.Definitions.

(a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.

(b) "Gift" has the meaning given it in section 10A.071, subdivision 1.

(c) "Interested person" means a person or a representative of a person or association that has a direct financial interest in a decision that a local official is authorized to make.

(d) "Local official" means:

(1) an elected or appointed official of a county or city or of an agency, authority, or instrumentality of a county or city; and

(2) an elected or appointed member of a school board, a school superintendent, a school principal, or a district school officer of any independent school district.

Subd. 2.Prohibition.

An interested person may not give a gift or request another to give a gift to a local official. A local official may not accept a gift from an interested person.

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 costing $5 or less;

(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;

(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.

History:

1994 c 377 s 6; 2001 c 93 s 1; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 66; 2014 c 279 s 13