Bill Text: MN SF2249 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Lobbyists and principals model legislation requirements additions; principals and public officials scholarship funds requirements addition
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-05 - Referred to Local Government and Elections [SF2249 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-SF2249-Introduced.html
1.2relating to campaign finance; adding requirements to lobbyists or principals
1.3related to model legislation; adding requirements to principals and public officials
1.4related to scholarship funds;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections
1.510A.01, subdivisions 21, 33, by adding subdivisions; 10A.04, subdivision 6;
1.610A.09, subdivision 5.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, subdivision 21, is amended to
1.9read:
1.10 Subd. 21. Lobbyist. (a) "Lobbyist" means an individual:
1.11(1) engaged for pay or other consideration of more than $3,000 from all sources in
1.12any year for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, or
1.13the official action of a metropolitan governmental unit, by communicating or urging others
1.14to communicate with public or local officials;or
1.15(2) who spends more than $250, not including the individual's own traveling
1.16expenses and membership dues, in any year for the purpose of attempting to influence
1.17legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan governmental
1.18unit, by communicating or urging others to communicate with public or local officials; or
1.19(3) who attempts to influence legislative adoption of model legislation written or
1.20distributed by a principal.
1.21(b) "Lobbyist" does not include:
1.22(1) a public official;
1.23(2) an employee of the state, including an employee of any of the public higher
1.24education systems;
1.25(3) an elected local official;
2.1(4) a nonelected local official or an employee of a political subdivision acting in
2.2an official capacity, unless the nonelected official or employee of a political subdivision
2.3spends more than 50 hours in any month attempting to influence legislative or
2.4administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan governmental unit other
2.5than the political subdivision employing the official or employee, by communicating
2.6or urging others to communicate with public or local officials, including time spent
2.7monitoring legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan
2.8governmental unit, and related research, analysis, and compilation and dissemination of
2.9information relating to legislative or administrative policy in this state, or to the policies of
2.10metropolitan governmental units;
2.11(5) a party or the party's representative appearing in a proceeding before a state
2.12board, commission, or agency of the executive branch unless the board, commission,
2.13or agency is taking administrative action;
2.14(6) an individual while engaged in selling goods or services to be paid for by
2.15public funds;
2.16(7) a news medium or its employees or agents while engaged in the publishing or
2.17broadcasting of news items, editorial comments, or paid advertisements which directly
2.18or indirectly urge official action;
2.19(8) a paid expert witness whose testimony is requested by the body before which the
2.20witness is appearing, but only to the extent of preparing or delivering testimony; or
2.21(9) a party or the party's representative appearing to present a claim to the legislature
2.22and communicating to legislators only by the filing of a claim form and supporting
2.23documents and by appearing at public hearings on the claim.
2.24(c) An individual who volunteers personal time to work without pay or other
2.25consideration on a lobbying campaign, and who does not spend more than the limit in
2.26paragraph (a), clause (2), need not register as a lobbyist.
2.27(d) An individual who provides administrative support to a lobbyist and whose salary
2.28and administrative expenses attributable to lobbying activities are reported as lobbying
2.29expenses by the lobbyist, but who does not communicate or urge others to communicate
2.30with public or local officials, need not register as a lobbyist.
2.31 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.32to read:
2.33 Subd. 25a. Model legislation. "Model legislation" means legislation written or
2.34distributed by a principal to public officials of more than one state.
3.1 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, subdivision 33, is amended to read:
3.2 Subd. 33. Principal. "Principal" means an individual or association that:
3.3(1) spends more than $500 in the aggregate in any calendar year to engage a lobbyist,
3.4compensate a lobbyist, or authorize the expenditure of money by a lobbyist;or
3.5(2) is not included in clause (1) and spends a total of at least $50,000 in any calendar
3.6year on efforts to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the official action
3.7of metropolitan governmental units, as described in section10A.04, subdivision 6 ; or
3.8(3) drafts, promotes, or distributes model legislation to any public official of this
3.9state with the purpose of influencing a public official to introduce the legislation or vote in
3.10favor of the legislation.
3.11 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.12to read:
3.13 Subd. 35a. Scholarship funds. "Scholarship funds" means money or other financial
3.14support given by a principal to, or on behalf of, a public official to reimburse or pay for all
3.15or part of the costs of attending a conference, meeting, or event where model legislation
3.16will be presented, discussed, distributed, or made available.
3.17 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.04, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
3.18 Subd. 6. Principal reports. (a) A principal must report to the board as required in
3.19this subdivision by March 15 for the preceding calendar year.
3.20(b) The principal must report the total amount, rounded to the nearest $20,000,
3.21spent by the principal during the preceding calendar year to influence legislative action,
3.22administrative action, and the official action of metropolitan governmental units.
3.23(c) The principal must report under this subdivision a total amount that includes:
3.24(1) all direct payments by the principal to lobbyists in this state;
3.25(2) all expenditures for advertising, mailing, research, analysis, compilation and
3.26dissemination of information, and public relations campaigns related to legislative action,
3.27administrative action, or the official action of metropolitan governmental units in this
3.28state; and
3.29(3) all salaries and administrative expenses attributable to activities of the principal
3.30relating to efforts to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the official
3.31action of metropolitan governmental units in this state.
3.32(d) A principal that grants scholarship funds for a public official to attend a
3.33conference, meeting, or event must report:
4.1(1) the names of all public officials that received scholarship funds for attendance
4.2at the conference, meeting, or event; and
4.3(2) the names of any entity or individuals who contributed money towards
4.4scholarship funds; when possible, the report must identify the entities or individuals who
4.5contributed to each recipient's scholarship.
4.6 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.09, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
4.7 Subd. 5. Form. A statement of economic interest required by this section must be
4.8on a form prescribed by the board. The individual filing must provide the following
4.9information:
4.10(1) name, address, occupation, and principal place of business;
4.11(2) the name of each associated business and the nature of that association;
4.12(3) a listing of all real property within the state, excluding homestead property, in
4.13which the individual holds: (i) a fee simple interest, a mortgage, a contract for deed as
4.14buyer or seller, or an option to buy, whether direct or indirect, if the interest is valued
4.15in excess of $2,500; or (ii) an option to buy, if the property has a fair market value
4.16of $50,000 or more;
4.17(4) a listing of all real property within the state in which a partnership of which the
4.18individual is a member holds: (i) a fee simple interest, a mortgage, a contract for deed as
4.19buyer or seller, or an option to buy, whether direct or indirect, if the individual's share of
4.20the partnership interest is valued in excess of $2,500; or (ii) an option to buy, if the property
4.21has a fair market value of $50,000 or more. A listing under clause (3) or (4) must indicate
4.22the street address and the municipality or the section, township, range and approximate
4.23acreage, whichever applies, and the county in which the property is located;and
4.24(5) a listing of any investments, ownership, or interests in property connected with
4.25pari-mutuel horse racing in the United States and Canada, including a racehorse, in which
4.26the individual directly or indirectly holds a partial or full interest or an immediate family
4.27member holds a partial or full interest; and
4.28(6) a listing of all scholarship funds received, or paid on the individual's behalf, the
4.29amount of each scholarship, the granting entity, and the conference, meeting, or event for
4.30which the scholarship funds were granted.
1.3related to model legislation; adding requirements to principals and public officials
1.4related to scholarship funds;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections
1.510A.01, subdivisions 21, 33, by adding subdivisions; 10A.04, subdivision 6;
1.610A.09, subdivision 5.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, subdivision 21, is amended to
1.9read:
1.10 Subd. 21. Lobbyist. (a) "Lobbyist" means an individual:
1.11(1) engaged for pay or other consideration of more than $3,000 from all sources in
1.12any year for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, or
1.13the official action of a metropolitan governmental unit, by communicating or urging others
1.14to communicate with public or local officials;
1.15(2) who spends more than $250, not including the individual's own traveling
1.16expenses and membership dues, in any year for the purpose of attempting to influence
1.17legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan governmental
1.18unit, by communicating or urging others to communicate with public or local officials; or
1.19(3) who attempts to influence legislative adoption of model legislation written or
1.20distributed by a principal.
1.21(b) "Lobbyist" does not include:
1.22(1) a public official;
1.23(2) an employee of the state, including an employee of any of the public higher
1.24education systems;
1.25(3) an elected local official;
2.1(4) a nonelected local official or an employee of a political subdivision acting in
2.2an official capacity, unless the nonelected official or employee of a political subdivision
2.3spends more than 50 hours in any month attempting to influence legislative or
2.4administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan governmental unit other
2.5than the political subdivision employing the official or employee, by communicating
2.6or urging others to communicate with public or local officials, including time spent
2.7monitoring legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a metropolitan
2.8governmental unit, and related research, analysis, and compilation and dissemination of
2.9information relating to legislative or administrative policy in this state, or to the policies of
2.10metropolitan governmental units;
2.11(5) a party or the party's representative appearing in a proceeding before a state
2.12board, commission, or agency of the executive branch unless the board, commission,
2.13or agency is taking administrative action;
2.14(6) an individual while engaged in selling goods or services to be paid for by
2.15public funds;
2.16(7) a news medium or its employees or agents while engaged in the publishing or
2.17broadcasting of news items, editorial comments, or paid advertisements which directly
2.18or indirectly urge official action;
2.19(8) a paid expert witness whose testimony is requested by the body before which the
2.20witness is appearing, but only to the extent of preparing or delivering testimony; or
2.21(9) a party or the party's representative appearing to present a claim to the legislature
2.22and communicating to legislators only by the filing of a claim form and supporting
2.23documents and by appearing at public hearings on the claim.
2.24(c) An individual who volunteers personal time to work without pay or other
2.25consideration on a lobbying campaign, and who does not spend more than the limit in
2.26paragraph (a), clause (2), need not register as a lobbyist.
2.27(d) An individual who provides administrative support to a lobbyist and whose salary
2.28and administrative expenses attributable to lobbying activities are reported as lobbying
2.29expenses by the lobbyist, but who does not communicate or urge others to communicate
2.30with public or local officials, need not register as a lobbyist.
2.31 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.32to read:
2.33 Subd. 25a. Model legislation. "Model legislation" means legislation written or
2.34distributed by a principal to public officials of more than one state.
3.1 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, subdivision 33, is amended to read:
3.2 Subd. 33. Principal. "Principal" means an individual or association that:
3.3(1) spends more than $500 in the aggregate in any calendar year to engage a lobbyist,
3.4compensate a lobbyist, or authorize the expenditure of money by a lobbyist;
3.5(2) is not included in clause (1) and spends a total of at least $50,000 in any calendar
3.6year on efforts to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the official action
3.7of metropolitan governmental units, as described in section
3.8(3) drafts, promotes, or distributes model legislation to any public official of this
3.9state with the purpose of influencing a public official to introduce the legislation or vote in
3.10favor of the legislation.
3.11 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.12to read:
3.13 Subd. 35a. Scholarship funds. "Scholarship funds" means money or other financial
3.14support given by a principal to, or on behalf of, a public official to reimburse or pay for all
3.15or part of the costs of attending a conference, meeting, or event where model legislation
3.16will be presented, discussed, distributed, or made available.
3.17 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.04, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
3.18 Subd. 6. Principal reports. (a) A principal must report to the board as required in
3.19this subdivision by March 15 for the preceding calendar year.
3.20(b) The principal must report the total amount, rounded to the nearest $20,000,
3.21spent by the principal during the preceding calendar year to influence legislative action,
3.22administrative action, and the official action of metropolitan governmental units.
3.23(c) The principal must report under this subdivision a total amount that includes:
3.24(1) all direct payments by the principal to lobbyists in this state;
3.25(2) all expenditures for advertising, mailing, research, analysis, compilation and
3.26dissemination of information, and public relations campaigns related to legislative action,
3.27administrative action, or the official action of metropolitan governmental units in this
3.28state; and
3.29(3) all salaries and administrative expenses attributable to activities of the principal
3.30relating to efforts to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the official
3.31action of metropolitan governmental units in this state.
3.32(d) A principal that grants scholarship funds for a public official to attend a
3.33conference, meeting, or event must report:
4.1(1) the names of all public officials that received scholarship funds for attendance
4.2at the conference, meeting, or event; and
4.3(2) the names of any entity or individuals who contributed money towards
4.4scholarship funds; when possible, the report must identify the entities or individuals who
4.5contributed to each recipient's scholarship.
4.6 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 10A.09, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
4.7 Subd. 5. Form. A statement of economic interest required by this section must be
4.8on a form prescribed by the board. The individual filing must provide the following
4.9information:
4.10(1) name, address, occupation, and principal place of business;
4.11(2) the name of each associated business and the nature of that association;
4.12(3) a listing of all real property within the state, excluding homestead property, in
4.13which the individual holds: (i) a fee simple interest, a mortgage, a contract for deed as
4.14buyer or seller, or an option to buy, whether direct or indirect, if the interest is valued
4.15in excess of $2,500; or (ii) an option to buy, if the property has a fair market value
4.16of $50,000 or more;
4.17(4) a listing of all real property within the state in which a partnership of which the
4.18individual is a member holds: (i) a fee simple interest, a mortgage, a contract for deed as
4.19buyer or seller, or an option to buy, whether direct or indirect, if the individual's share of
4.20the partnership interest is valued in excess of $2,500; or (ii) an option to buy, if the property
4.21has a fair market value of $50,000 or more. A listing under clause (3) or (4) must indicate
4.22the street address and the municipality or the section, township, range and approximate
4.23acreage, whichever applies, and the county in which the property is located;
4.24(5) a listing of any investments, ownership, or interests in property connected with
4.25pari-mutuel horse racing in the United States and Canada, including a racehorse, in which
4.26the individual directly or indirectly holds a partial or full interest or an immediate family
4.27member holds a partial or full interest; and
4.28(6) a listing of all scholarship funds received, or paid on the individual's behalf, the
4.29amount of each scholarship, the granting entity, and the conference, meeting, or event for
4.30which the scholarship funds were granted.
