1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to elections; establishing a working group on local candidate campaign
1.3 finance reporting; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. WORKING GROUP ON LOCAL CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE
1.6REPORTING.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the terms have the meanings
1.8given.
1.9 (b) "Board" means the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
1.10 (c) "Candidate" means an individual who seeks nomination or election to a county,
1.11municipal, school district, or other political subdivision office. This definition does not
1.12include an individual seeking a judicial office.
1.13 (d) "Local campaign report" means any report that a candidate is required to file pursuant
1.14to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 211A.
1.15 Subd. 2.Membership.(a) The working group consists of the following 12 members:
1.16 (1) two members of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board affiliated with
1.17different political parties appointed by the board's chair;
1.18 (2) the executive director of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board;
1.19 (3) two members appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities, one of whom must be
1.20from a city of the fourth class;
1.21 (4) one member appointed by the Association of Minnesota Counties;
1Section 1.
S0828-3 3rd EngrossmentSF828 REVISOR JFK
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 828NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: BOLDON, Westlin, Port and Marty)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading22801/30/2025
Referred to Elections
Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to State and Local Government362a02/13/2025
Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Rules and Administration594a03/03/2025
Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Elections03/24/2025 2.1 (5) one member appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships;
2.2 (6) one member appointed by the Minnesota School Board Association;
2.3 (7) one senator appointed by the senate majority leader and one senator appointed by
2.4the senate minority leader; and
2.5 (8) one representative appointed by the speaker of the house and one representative
2.6appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
2.7 (b) Appointments to the working group must be made within two weeks after the effective
2.8date of this act.
2.9 (c) Public member compensation and reimbursement for expenses are governed by
2.10Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3. Legislative members may receive per
2.11diem and be reimbursed for their expenses according to the rules of their respective bodies.
2.12 Subd. 3.Chairs; meetings.(a) The executive director of the board must convene the
2.13first meeting of the working group no later than six weeks after the effective date of this
2.14act. At the first meeting, members must elect a chair from among the legislative members
2.15of the working group members.
2.16 (b) Working group meetings are subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law under
2.17Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
2.18 Subd. 4.Administrative support.The Legislative Coordinating Commission must
2.19provide administrative support and meeting space for the working group. Upon request of
2.20the working group, the staff of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board must
2.21provide technical support.
2.22 Subd. 5.Duties.At a minimum, the working group must:
2.23 (1) examine and make recommendations on whether any or all local candidate campaign
2.24finance reports should be filed with the board instead of with a local filing officer;
2.25 (2) assess the extent to which local filing officers are currently able to provide support
2.26to local candidates and the public related to their duty to accept campaign finance reports
2.27from local candidates;
2.28 (3) review the reporting requirements for local candidates in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
2.29211A, and any changes to those requirements that should be made, especially if the reports
2.30were to be filed with the board;
2Section 1.
S0828-3 3rd EngrossmentSF828 REVISOR JFK 3.1 (4) study the impact of the potential increase of reports being made to the board in terms
3.2of budgetary and staffing needs and the ability of the board to support the local candidates
3.3in filing the reports;
3.4 (5) study local campaign finance reporting requirements and make any recommendations
3.5to changes on the laws; and
3.6 (6) propose draft legislation to implement any of the working group's recommendations.
3.7 Subd. 6.Report.No later than January 15, 2026, the working group must submit a
3.8written report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and
3.9divisions with jurisdiction over elections. The report must outline a description of the
3.10working group's activities, how the working group addressed each duty described in
3.11subdivision 5, any recommendations made by the working group, and any proposed
3.12legislation recommended by the working group.
3.13 Subd. 7.Expiration.The working group expires upon submission of the report required
3.14under subdivision 6, or January 16, 2026, whichever is later.
3.15 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.16 $25,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the Legislative
3.17Coordinating Commission for the working group on local candidate campaign finance
3.18reporting established in section 1. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2026. This
3.19is a onetime appropriation.
3.20 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
3.21 This act is effective the day following final enactment.
3Sec. 3.
S0828-3 3rd EngrossmentSF828 REVISOR JFK