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HF 524

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to elections; campaign finance; changing certain disclosure
requirements; limiting independent expenditures by political party units;
regulating electioneering communications; increasing certain expenditure limits;
establishing a work group; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 10A.01,
by adding a subdivision; 10A.14, subdivision 1; 10A.20, by adding subdivisions;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.01, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:


new text begin Subd. 16a. new text end

new text begin Electioneering communication. new text end

new text begin "Electioneering communication"
means a broadcast communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate and is
made within 60 days before a general or special election or 30 days before a primary or
special primary for the office sought by the candidate. "Electioneering communication"
does not include:
new text end

new text begin (1) a communication appearing in a news story, commentary, or editorial distributed
by a broadcasting station, unless the broadcasting station is owned or controlled by a
political party unit, political committee, or candidate;
new text end

new text begin (2) a campaign expenditure; or
new text end

new text begin (3) an independent expenditure.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

First registration.

The treasurer of a political committee, political
fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit must register with the board by filing
a statement of organization no later than deleted text begin 14 daysdeleted text end new text begin 48 hoursnew text end after the committee, fund,
or party unit has made a contribution, received contributions, or made expenditures in
excess of $100.

Sec. 3.

new text begin [10A.165] COORDINATED ELECTIONEERING COMMUNICATIONS;
CONTRIBUTIONS; EXPENDITURES.
new text end

new text begin If an individual, political committee, political fund, or political party unit makes
an expenditure for an electioneering communication that is coordinated with a principal
campaign committee or political party unit, the electioneering communication constitutes
a contribution to, and an expenditure by, the principal campaign committee of the
candidate named in the electioneering communication or of the political party unit whose
candidate is named in the electioneering communication.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.20, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 6c. new text end

new text begin Electioneering communications. new text end

new text begin An individual, political committee,
political fund, or political party unit that makes or contracts to make an expenditure for
an electioneering communication in an aggregate amount in excess of $500 within 60
days before a general or special election or 30 days before a primary or special primary
for the office sought by the candidate identified in the electioneering communication
must, within 24 hours of making the expenditure, file a report with the board containing
the following information:
new text end

new text begin (1) the amount of each expenditure over $100, the name and address of the person
to whom the expenditure was made or contracted to be made, and the purpose of the
expenditure;
new text end

new text begin (2) the election or primary to which each electioneering communication pertains and
the name of any candidate to be identified in the electioneering communication; and
new text end

new text begin (3) in the case of a report filed by an individual, the name, address, and employer
or occupation, if self-employed, of the individual making or contracting to make the
electioneering communication.
new text end

new text begin An additional report containing the information specified in this subdivision must be
filed within 24 hours after each time an expenditure for an electioneering communication
in an aggregate amount exceeding $500 is made or contracted to be made within 60 days
before a general or special election or 30 days before a primary or special primary for the
office sought by the candidate.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 10A.20, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 6d. new text end

new text begin Independent expenditures. new text end

new text begin (a) An individual, political committee,
political party unit, or political fund must file a report with the board each time the
individual, political committee, political party unit, or political fund makes or contracts
to make, at any time up to and including the 20th day before an election, independent
expenditures in an aggregate amount in excess of $500. The report must be filed within 48
hours after initially making or contracting to make such expenditures. An additional report
must be filed within 48 hours after each time an independent expenditure in an aggregate
amount in excess of $500 is made or contracted to be made, up to and including the 20th
day before an election. The report must include the information required to be reported
under subdivision 3, paragraph (g), except that if the expenditure is reported at the time it
is contracted, the report must include the contract amount.
new text end

new text begin (b) An individual, political committee, political party unit, or political fund must
file a report with the board each time the individual, political committee, political party
unit, or political fund makes or contracts to make, between the 19th day and the last
day before an election, an independent expenditure in an aggregate amount in excess of
$100. The report must be filed within 24 hours after initially making or contracting to
make such expenditures. An additional report must be filed within 24 hours after making
or contracting to make an independent expenditure in an aggregate amount in excess of
$100 at any time up to and including the 20th day before an election. The report must
include the information required to be reported under subdivision 3, paragraph (g), except
that if the expenditure is reported at the time it is contracted, the report must include
the contract amount.
new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin INTERNET CAMPAIGN REPORTING AND PUBLIC SUBSIDY
PAYMENT STUDY.
new text end

new text begin A work group is established to study the feasibility of creating an online campaign
finance reporting and public subsidy payment system. The work group must study the
initial costs and long-term savings of creating a system for filing online all reports required
by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A, and for electronically making subsidy payments
under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 10A. The work group must report to the chairs of the
Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections Committee and the State
Government Finance Committee in the house of representatives and the chairs of the State
and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee and the State Government
Budget Division in the senate by January 15, 2008.
new text end

new text begin The work group shall consist of one member of the Campaign Finance and Public
Disclosure Board designated by the chair of the board and three members appointed by
the governor, three members appointed by the speaker of the house, and three members
appointed by the senate Committee on Committees.
new text end

new text begin The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board and the Department of Revenue
must provide staff resources to the work group.
new text end