Bill Text: MN HF1903 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Cities prohibited from retaining persons to lobby on their behalf.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-25 - Introduction and first reading, referred to Government Operations [HF1903 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF1903-Introduced.html
1.2relating to cities; prohibiting cities from retaining persons to lobby on their
1.3behalf; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 415; 477A.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. [415.20] CITY LOBBYING PROHIBITED.
1.6 Subdivision 1. Prohibition. A statutory or home rule charter city must not pay any
1.7employee of the city, or any other person or business, to attempt to influence legislative
1.8or administrative action at the federal, state, or metropolitan government level, by
1.9communicating or urging others to communicate with representatives or employees of the
1.10legislative or administrative body.
1.11 Subd. 2. Investigation; penalty. A taxpayer in a city may request the state auditor
1.12to investigate whether the city has violated this section. If the state auditor determines
1.13that the city spent money in violation of this section, the commissioner of revenue shall
1.14reduce the local government aid payment to the city by an amount equal to two times the
1.15amount the city spent on lobbying.
1.16 Subd. 3. Application. This section does not apply to a city's membership in a
1.17nonprofit organization of cities, including the League of Minnesota Cities. This section
1.18does not apply to a city official or employee responding to a request for information
1.19from a representative or employee of a federal, state, or metropolitan legislative or
1.20administrative body.
1.21 Sec. 2. [477A.0175] DEDUCTIONS FROM AID PAYMENTS.
1.22Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the aid payment to a city under section
1.23477A.013, subdivision 9, shall be reduced by the penalty amount determined in section
2.1415.20, subdivision 2. If the penalty is imposed before July 1 of any calendar year it will
2.2be a reduction in aids paid during that same calendar year; otherwise the penalty shall be a
2.3reduction in aid in the next calendar year. If the certified aid amount is less than the
2.4penalty, any excess penalty shall be deducted from the city's taconite aid payments under
2.5sections 298.28 and 298.282, and then if necessary, from its municipal street aid payments
2.6under section 162.13. Any money deducted from aid payments under this section shall be
2.7retained in the fund from which they were appropriated. Notwithstanding any other law to
2.8the contrary, no adjustment will be made to any imposed property tax levy limit to allow
2.9the city to increase its property tax levy to compensate for an aid loss under this section.
2.10EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for aids payable in calendar year
2.112015 and thereafter.
1.3behalf; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 415; 477A.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. [415.20] CITY LOBBYING PROHIBITED.
1.6 Subdivision 1. Prohibition. A statutory or home rule charter city must not pay any
1.7employee of the city, or any other person or business, to attempt to influence legislative
1.8or administrative action at the federal, state, or metropolitan government level, by
1.9communicating or urging others to communicate with representatives or employees of the
1.10legislative or administrative body.
1.11 Subd. 2. Investigation; penalty. A taxpayer in a city may request the state auditor
1.12to investigate whether the city has violated this section. If the state auditor determines
1.13that the city spent money in violation of this section, the commissioner of revenue shall
1.14reduce the local government aid payment to the city by an amount equal to two times the
1.15amount the city spent on lobbying.
1.16 Subd. 3. Application. This section does not apply to a city's membership in a
1.17nonprofit organization of cities, including the League of Minnesota Cities. This section
1.18does not apply to a city official or employee responding to a request for information
1.19from a representative or employee of a federal, state, or metropolitan legislative or
1.20administrative body.
1.21 Sec. 2. [477A.0175] DEDUCTIONS FROM AID PAYMENTS.
1.22Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the aid payment to a city under section
1.23477A.013, subdivision 9, shall be reduced by the penalty amount determined in section
2.1415.20, subdivision 2. If the penalty is imposed before July 1 of any calendar year it will
2.2be a reduction in aids paid during that same calendar year; otherwise the penalty shall be a
2.3reduction in aid in the next calendar year. If the certified aid amount is less than the
2.4penalty, any excess penalty shall be deducted from the city's taconite aid payments under
2.5sections 298.28 and 298.282, and then if necessary, from its municipal street aid payments
2.6under section 162.13. Any money deducted from aid payments under this section shall be
2.7retained in the fund from which they were appropriated. Notwithstanding any other law to
2.8the contrary, no adjustment will be made to any imposed property tax levy limit to allow
2.9the city to increase its property tax levy to compensate for an aid loss under this section.
2.10EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for aids payable in calendar year
2.112015 and thereafter.
