1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to campaign finance; modifying the definition of noncampaign 
1.3 	disbursement; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 10A.01, subdivision 
1.4 	26.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 10A.01, subdivision 26, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 26.Noncampaign disbursement. "Noncampaign disbursement" means 
1.8 	a purchase or payment of money or anything of value made, or an advance of credit 
1.9 	incurred, or a donation in kind received, by a principal campaign committee for any of 
1.10 	the following purposes:
1.11 	(1) payment for accounting and legal services;
1.12 	(2) return of a contribution to the source;
1.13 	(3) repayment of a loan made to the principal campaign committee by that committee;
1.14 	(4) return of a public subsidy;
1.15 	(5) payment for food, beverages, and necessary utensils and supplies, entertainment, 
1.16 	and facility rental for a fund-raising event;
1.17 	(6) services for a constituent by a member of the legislature or a constitutional officer 
1.18 	in the executive branch, including the costs of preparing and distributing a suggestion or 
1.19 	idea solicitation to constituents, performed from the beginning of the term of office to 
1.20 	adjournment sine die of the legislature in the election year for the office held, and half 
1.21 	the cost of services for a constituent by a member of the legislature or a constitutional 
1.22 	officer in the executive branch performed from adjournment sine die to 60 days after 
1.23 	adjournment sine die;
2.1 	(7) payment for food and beverages consumed by a candidate or volunteers while 
2.2 	they are engaged in campaign activities;
2.3 	(8) payment for food or a beverage consumed while attending a reception or meeting 
2.4 	directly related to legislative duties;
2.5 	(9) payment of expenses incurred by elected or appointed leaders of a legislative 
2.6 	caucus in carrying out their leadership responsibilities;
2.7 	(10) payment by a principal campaign committee of the candidate's expenses for 
2.8 	serving in public office, other than for personal uses;
2.9 	(11) costs of child care for the candidate's children when campaigning;
2.10 	(12) fees paid to attend a campaign school;
2.11 	(13) costs of a postelection party during the election year when a candidate's name 
2.12 	will no longer appear on a ballot or the general election is concluded, whichever occurs first;
2.13 	(14) interest on loans paid by a principal campaign committee on outstanding loans;
2.14 	(15) filing fees;
2.15 	(16) post-general election holiday or seasonal cards, thank-you notes, or 
2.16 	advertisements in the news media;
2.17 	(17) the cost of campaign material purchased to replace defective campaign material, 
2.18 	if the defective material is destroyed without being used;
2.19 	(18) contributions to a party unit;
2.20 	(19) payments for funeral gifts or memorials;
2.21 	(20) the cost of a magnet less than six inches in diameter containing legislator 
2.22 	contact information and distributed to constituents;
2.23 	(21) costs associated with a candidate attending a political party state or national 
2.24 	convention in this state;
2.25 	(22) other purchases or payments specified in board rules or advisory opinions as 
2.26 	being for any purpose other than to influence the nomination or election of a candidate or 
2.27 	to promote or defeat a ballot question; and
2.28 	(23) costs paid to a third party for processing contributions made by a credit card, 
2.29 	debit card, or electronic check.
2.30 	The board must determine whether an activity involves a noncampaign disbursement 
2.31 	within the meaning of this subdivision.
2.32 	A noncampaign disbursement is considered to be made in the year in which the 
2.33 	candidate made the purchase of goods or services or incurred an obligation to pay for 
2.34 	goods or services.