Purpose

To restrict how entities that receive state funding can spend money on political activities, ensuring state funds are not used for campaign work and that funding is managed separately from political expenditures.

Main Provisions

• Prohibition on campaign expenditures: An entity or organization that receives state funding must not make a campaign expenditure or spend money for any political purpose.
• Requirement for separate accounts: If the entity engages in political activities, it must use separate accounts dedicated to political activities and to activities funded by state funding.
• Prohibition on supplanting funding: The entity must not replace its existing funding with state funding in order to pay for campaign expenditures or political activities.
• Attestation before receiving funds: Before obtaining state funding, the entity must attest that it will comply with these requirements.
• Definition of state funding: State funding includes public funds received through a direct appropriation or through a legislatively named competitive or other form of grant.
• Legal framing: The provisions would be codified as a new section (211B.125) within Minnesota Statutes Chapter 211B.

Implementation Notes

• Scope: Applies to any entity or organization that receives state funding, including nonprofit organizations.
• Compliance mechanism: Attestation prior to funding and ongoing separation of funds for political vs. funded activities.

Definitions / Key Terms

• Campaign expenditure
• Political purpose
• State funding
• Separate accounts for political activities and for activities funded by state funding
• Supplant
• Attest
• Direct appropriation
• Grant

Relevant Terms campaign expenditure political purpose state funding separate accounts supplant attest direct appropriation grant Minnesota Statutes Chapter 211B 211B.125