§ 16A.139 — Misappropriation of Money
Plain-Language Summary
Any state official, department head, or employee who intentionally uses appropriated money or collected fees for a purpose other than what the money was appropriated for is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. A department head or state official who commits this violation may be immediately removed from office—even without a criminal conviction. Judges, constitutional officers, and legislators are subject to different removal processes under the state constitution.
16A.139 MISAPPROPRIATION OF MONEY.
(a) No official or head of any state department in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches, or any employee of a state department in those branches, may intentionally use money appropriated by law, or fees collected knowing that the use is for a purpose other than the purpose for which the money was appropriated. Unless a greater penalty is specified elsewhere in law, a person who violates this paragraph is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(b) A violation of paragraph (a) by a head of a department, or any state official, is cause for immediate removal of the official or head of a state department from the position held with the government of this state. A criminal conviction under paragraph (a) is not a prerequisite for removal. This paragraph does not apply to a judge, a constitutional officer, or a legislator, except as potential grounds for expulsion, impeachment, or recall in the manner specified in article IV, section 7, and article VIII of the Minnesota Constitution.
History:
(125-14) 1937 c 457 s 36; 1979 c 333 s 60; 1986 c 444; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 47
History: History: (125-14) 1937 c 457 s 36; 1979 c 333 s 60; 1986 c 444; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 47