Section 471.895 - CERTAIN GIFTS BY INTERESTED PERSONS PROHIBITEDSubdivision 1.Definitions.(a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.(b) "Gift" has the meaning given it in section 10A.071, subdivision 1.(c) "Interested person" means a person or a representative of a person or association that has a direct financial interest in a decision that a local official is authorized to make.(d) "Local official" means: (1) an elected or appointed official of a county or city or of an agency, authority, or instrumentality of a county or city; and(2) an elected or appointed member of a school board, a school superintendent, a school principal, or a district school officer of any independent school district.Subd. 2.Prohibition.An interested person may not give a gift or request another to give a gift to a local official. A local official may not accept a gift from an interested person.
Subd. 3.Exceptions.(a) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is: (1) a contribution as defined in section 211A.01, subdivision 5;(2) services to assist an official in the performance of official duties, including but not limited to providing advice, consultation, information, and communication in connection with legislation, and services to constituents;(3) services of insignificant monetary value;(4) a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual services in a field of specialty or to a charitable cause;(5) a trinket or memento costing $5 or less;(6) informational material of unexceptional value; or(7) food or a beverage given at a reception, meal, or meeting away from the recipient's place of work by an organization before whom the recipient appears to make a speech or answer questions as part of a program.(b) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is given: (1) because of the recipient's membership in a group, a majority of whose members are not local officials, and an equivalent gift is given or offered to the other members of the group;(2) by an interested person who is a member of the family of the recipient, unless the gift is given on behalf of someone who is not a member of that family; or(3) by a national or multistate organization of governmental organizations or public officials, if a majority of the dues to the organization are paid from public funds, to attendees at a conference sponsored by that organization, if the gift is food or a beverage given at a reception or meal and an equivalent gift is given or offered to all other attendees.1994 c 377 s 6; 2001 c 93 s 1; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 66; 2014 c 279 s 13
Amended by 2014 Minn. Laws, ch. 279,s 13, eff. 7/1/2014.