Chapter 10A — Campaign Finance and Lobbying

10A.01 Definitions Defines key terms used in Minnesota's campaign finance and public disclosure law. 10A.02 Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board Creates the 6-member Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to oversee election finance rules. 10A.022 Violations and Enforcement The board can investigate campaign finance violations, issue penalties, and subpoena witnesses. 10A.025 Filing Requirements Campaign finance reports can be filed electronically, and deadlines shift if they fall on weekends. 10A.027 Information on Website The board must not post bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers online. 10A.03 Lobbyist Registration A lobbyist must register with the board within 5 days of starting to lobby. 10A.04 Lobbyist Reports Lobbyists must file activity reports with the board by January 15 and June 15 each year. 10A.05 Lobbyist Report The board must publish a list of registered lobbyists, their clients, and what they lobby about. 10A.06 Contingent Fees Prohibited Lobbyists cannot be paid based on whether their lobbying succeeds or fails. 10A.065 This section was renumbered. See section 10A.273 for current rules. 10A.066 Handbook for Lobbying The board must publish a plain-language lobbying handbook on its website. 10A.07 Conflicts of Interest Public officials must disclose conflicts of interest in writing when official duties affect their finances. 10A.071 Certain Gifts by Lobbyists and Principals Prohibited Lobbyists and their employers cannot give gifts to public officials, and officials cannot accept them. 10A.08 Representation Disclosure Public officials who represent clients at rulemaking hearings must disclose that to the board within 14 days. 10A.09 Statements of Economic Interest Public officials and certain candidates must file statements listing their financial interests. 10A.10 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.105 Principal Campaign Committee A candidate must form one principal campaign committee before accepting contributions over $750. 10A.11 Organization of Committees and Party Units Every political committee, campaign committee, and party unit must have a chair and treasurer. 10A.12 Political Funds Associations spending over $750 on candidates must do so through a registered political fund. 10A.121 Independent Expenditure and Ballot Question Political Committees and Funds Independent expenditure and ballot question committees can pay operations costs and make independent expenditures. 10A.13 Accounts That Must Be Kept Campaign treasurers must keep records of all contributions over $20 and all expenditures. 10A.14 Registration Political committees and campaign committees must register with the board after receiving over $750. 10A.15 Contributions Anonymous contributions over $20 must be turned over to the state elections campaign account. 10A.155 Reimbursement of Automobile Use Committees can reimburse car use at the IRS mileage rate and must keep a mileage log. 10A.16 Earmarking Contributions Prohibited It is illegal to give a contribution with the condition that it be passed along to a specific candidate. 10A.17 Expenditures Campaign spending must be authorized by the treasurer and properly documented. 10A.173 Noncampaign Disbursements Certain costs like serving constituents during a legislative term are noncampaign disbursements. 10A.174 Inaugural Event and Transition Expenses Inaugural event and transition expenses for statewide offices must go through the campaign committee. 10A.175 Coordinated and Noncoordinated Expenditures; Definitions Defines terms like agent, candidate, and coordinated spending used in the coordination rules. 10A.176 Coordinated Expenditures Spending is coordinated with a candidate if based on shared strategy, polling, or fundraising. 10A.177 Noncoordinated Expenditures Lists actions that by themselves do not prove spending is coordinated with a candidate. 10A.179 Expenditures and Noncampaign Disbursements; General Provisions Sets general rules for how committees report reimbursements and credit card expenditures. 10A.18 Time for Rendering Bills, Charges, or Claims; Penalty Vendors must bill political committees within 60 days of providing goods or services. 10A.19 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.20 Campaign Reports Campaign treasurers must file periodic reports of all contributions received and expenditures made. 10A.201 Electioneering Communications; Definitions Defines electioneering communications, which are broadcast ads mentioning candidates near an election. 10A.202 Electioneering Communications; Reporting Requirements Anyone spending over $10,000 on electioneering communications must report it to the board. 10A.21 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.22 This section has been mostly repealed. 10A.23 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.24 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.241 Transfer of Debts A candidate can transfer debts from one campaign committee to another when changing offices. 10A.242 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.243 Termination of Registration A committee can end its registration by filing a termination report after disposing of assets over $100. 10A.244 Voluntary Inactive Status; Political Funds Political funds can go on voluntary inactive status if they stop all activity and file all reports. 10A.245 Administrative Termination of Inactive Committees and Funds The board can terminate committees that have been inactive for 4 to 6 years. 10A.246 Unpaid Debt Upon Termination Ending a committee's registration does not erase debts owed by the committee or its officers. 10A.25 Spending Limits Candidates who accept public funding must follow spending limits that vary by office. 10A.255 Adjustment by Consumer Price Index Campaign spending limits are adjusted each election year based on the Consumer Price Index. 10A.257 Carryforward Candidates can carry forward up to 25% of their spending limit to the next election cycle. 10A.26 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.265 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.27 Contribution Limits Sets dollar limits on how much individuals and groups can give to candidates for each office. 10A.271 Sale of Goods and Services for Fundraising Purposes Committees selling goods for fundraising must tell buyers the proceeds are political contributions. 10A.273 Contributions and Solicitations During Legislative Session Candidates and lobbyists cannot exchange contributions during a regular legislative session. 10A.275 Multicandidate Political Party Expenditures Party spending that benefits 3 or more candidates is not counted against individual candidate limits. 10A.28 Penalty for Exceeding Limits Exceeding spending or contribution limits can result in a penalty of up to 4 times the excess amount. 10A.29 Circumvention Prohibited It is a gross misdemeanor to funnel contributions through others to get around campaign finance limits. 10A.30 State Elections Campaign Account The state elections campaign account holds public funds for candidate subsidies and party accounts. 10A.31 Designation of Income Tax Payments Minnesota taxpayers can direct $5 from the general fund to political parties or campaigns on their tax return. 10A.315 Special Election Subsidy Candidates in special elections can receive a public subsidy if they sign a spending limit agreement. 10A.316 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.32 This section has been mostly repealed. 10A.321 Estimates of Minimum Amounts to Be Received Before filing opens, the state estimates how much public subsidy money each candidate may receive. 10A.322 Spending Limit Agreements To get public campaign money, a candidate must sign a written spending limit agreement with the board. 10A.323 Affidavit of Contributions Candidates must raise a minimum number of small donations from Minnesotans to qualify for public funds. 10A.324 Return of Public Subsidy Candidates must return unused public subsidies to the state after the election. 10A.325 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.33 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.335 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.34 Remedies The board can sue in Ramsey County to collect penalties and seek court orders to enforce the law. 10A.35 Commercial Use of Information Prohibited Campaign finance information cannot be sold or used for commercial purposes. 10A.36 Reprisals Prohibited; Penalty It is a gross misdemeanor to fire, threaten, or punish someone for their political activity. 10A.37 Freedom to Associate and Communicate This chapter does not limit an organization's right to communicate with its own members. 10A.38 Captioning of Campaign Advertisements Candidates receiving public funds must add closed captions to TV campaign ads. 10A.40 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.41 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.42 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.43 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.44 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.45 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.46 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.47 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.48 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.49 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.50 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.51 This section has been repealed or is reserved. 10A.52 Major Decision of Nonelected Local Officials Trying to influence certain local officials on major spending decisions counts as lobbying.