1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; prohibiting unauthorized
1.3 	removal of campaign material; providing a penalty;
1.4 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
1.5 	chapter 204B.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [204B.133] UNAUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF CAMPAIGN
1.8 	MATERIALS.
1.9 	(a) An individual who is 21 years of age or older, other
1.10 	than a candidate or elected official, who intentionally removes,
1.11 	defaces, tampers with, or relocates campaign material without
1.12 	the permission of the owner of the campaign material or the
1.13 	owner of the property from which the campaign material was
1.14 	removed, or who places campaign material in violation of an
1.15 	applicable municipal ordinance, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
1.16 	(b) A candidate or elected official who intentionally
1.17 	removes, defaces, tampers with, or relocates campaign material
1.18 	without the permission of the owner of the campaign material or
1.19 	the owner of the property from which the campaign material was
1.20 	removed, or who places campaign material in violation of an
1.21 	applicable municipal ordinance, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
1.22 	(c) The definitions in this paragraph apply to this section.
1.23 	(1) "Campaign material" has the meaning given in section
1.24 	211B.01, subdivision 2.
1.25 	(2) "Candidate" means an individual who seeks nomination or
2.1 	election to a federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or
2.2 	local office including special districts, school districts,
2.3 	towns, home rule charter and statutory cities, and counties,
2.4 	except candidates for president and vice-president of the United
2.5 	States.
2.6 	(3) "Elected official" means an individual who is not
2.7 	seeking nomination or election but currently holds elected
2.8 	federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or local office
2.9 	including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule
2.10 	charter and statutory cities, and counties, except candidates
2.11 	for president and vice-president of the United States.

2.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2005,
2.13 	and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.