1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to state government; forbidding state 
  1.3             agencies from spending public funds to investigate 
  1.4             persons for the purpose of discrediting them; 
  1.5             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.6             chapter 15. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [15.0571] [CERTAIN INVESTIGATIONS FORBIDDEN.] 
  1.9      No state department, bureau, division, or other agency may 
  1.10  spend public funds to investigate a person or organization that 
  1.11  opposes or questions an agency policy, project, or proposal for 
  1.12  the purpose of discrediting the person or organization.  For 
  1.13  purposes of this section, "public money" means money 
  1.14  appropriated to the agency, collected by the agency from fees of 
  1.15  any kind, or transferred to it by another unit of government.  
  1.16  The head of any agency covered by this section is personally 
  1.17  liable for funds used contrary to this provision.  This section 
  1.18  does not prevent the use of public funds for law enforcement or 
  1.19  other efforts within the statutory jurisdiction of an agency 
  1.20  that are necessary to protect the public safety or health.