1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; providing for the establishment of precinct caucus dates 
1.3 	by the appropriate political party; requiring notice to the secretary of state;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 202A.14, subdivision 1; 202A.15, 
1.5 	subdivision 1.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 202A.14, subdivision 1, is amended to 
1.8 	read:
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Time and manner of holding; postponement. At 7:00 p.m. on the 
1.10 	first Tuesday in March in (a) In every state general election year, beginning at 7:00 p.m. 
1.11 	on the date established pursuant to paragraph (b), there shall be held for every election 
1.12 	precinct a party caucus in the manner provided in sections 202A.14 to 202A.19, except 
1.13 	that in.
1.14 	(b) The date of a party's caucus shall be determined by the state executive committee 
1.15 	of the party, in consultation with the secretary of state. The executive committee must 
1.16 	provide notice of its chosen caucus date to the secretary of state at least 90 days prior to 
1.17 	the date on which the caucus is to be held.
1.18 	(c) In the event of severe weather, on the advice of the federal Weather Bureau and 
1.19 	the Department of Transportation, and in consultation with the secretary of state,  a major 
1.20 	political party may request the secretary of state to postpone caucuses. If a major political 
1.21 	party makes a request, or upon the secretary of state's own initiative, after consultation 
1.22 	with all major political parties and on the advice of the federal Weather Bureau and the 
1.23 	Department of Transportation, the secretary of state may declare precinct caucuses to be 
1.24 	postponed for a week in counties where weather makes travel especially dangerous. The 
1.25 	secretary of state shallparty must submit a notice of the postponement to news media 
2.1 	covering the affected counties by 6:00 p.m. on the scheduled day of the caucus. A 
2.2 	postponed caucus may also be postponed pursuant to this subdivision. 

2.3 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 202A.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.4 		Subdivision 1.Time. Precinct caucuses within a county shall be held on the day 
2.5 	provided by law and theestablished by the party, as described in section 202A.14, 
2.6 	subdivision 1. The caucuses shall remain open for at least one hour.