SF3627

Purpose

The bill aims to ensure elected officials and candidates can engage with residents in certain multi-unit living settings without being denied access. It creates a rule that access must be allowed under specific conditions to support official duties and campaign activities.

What the bill would do (Main provisions)

• Prohibits denying access to residents in multi-unit dwellings (apartment houses, dormitories, nursing homes, manufactured home parks, or areas with two or more single-family homes on private roads) to:
  • An elected official, or
  • A candidate who has organized a campaign committee, filed a required financial report, or filed an affidavit of candidacy.
• Access may be with campaign staff or volunteers, and is allowed only if the location is within the district or the area the official will represent, and the access is for official work or voter registration related to campaigning.
• An elected official or candidate may knock on doors and leave campaign or official materials for residents, with one exception: nursing home managers can require campaign materials be left at a central location within the facility.
• If a facility has multiple buildings, access may occur in more than one building on a single visit, but each building is entered one at a time. If multiple officials or candidates travel together, they must still visit one building at a time, and cannot all be directed to the same building at the same time.
• Violating these access rules is a petty misdemeanor.

Key changes to existing law

• Adds a prohibition on denying access to multi-unit dwellings for elected officials and qualifying candidates.
• Expands the set of locations covered to include apartment houses, dormitories, nursing homes, manufactured home parks, and other multi-unit living areas.
• Creates a framework for how access can be conducted (door-to-door, leaving materials, building-by-building access).
• Establishes responsibilities for campaign staff or volunteers accompanying officials or candidates.
• Introduces a definition of “elected official” to cover a broad range of government roles, excluding the President and Vice President of the United States.

Exceptions and limits (Exceptions in Subd. 2)

• Denial of admittance to a specific unit (e.g., a particular apartment or personal residence).
• Requiring reasonable and proper identification before admission.
• Denial of visits to certain persons for health reasons (e.g., in nursing homes or assisted living facilities).
• Limiting visits to a reasonable number of people or hours; access must be permitted from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at a minimum.
• Requiring a prior appointment to gain access.
• Denial of admittance or expulsion from a multi-unit dwelling for good cause.

Notice to residents (Section 3)

• Building owners, managers, or operators are encouraged to notify residents about the days an elected official or candidate plans to be present.

Definitions (Section 4)

• Defines “elected official” to include individuals elected to or appointed to most federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, and local offices, including special districts and local government structures, with specific exceptions for President, Vice President, and presidential electors.

Enforcement

• Violations of the access requirement are classified as petty misdemeanors.

Practical effect

• This bill would broaden access for candidates and elected officials to engage with residents living in multi-unit housing, while maintaining certain reasonable restrictions designed to protect residents and property, particularly in health-care settings like nursing homes.

Relevant Terms - multi-unit dwelling - apartment house - dormitory - nursing home - manufactured home park - campaign committee - election official / elected official - candidate - campaign staff / volunteers - door-to-door outreach - campaign materials - official work - voter registration - 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. access hours - prior appointment - reasonable identification - good cause - petty misdemeanor - Exceptions / health reasons - notice to residents - 211B.20 (Minnesota Statutes) - affidavit of candidacy - financial report (section 211A.02) - district or represented territory