2007 Minnesota Code
Chapters 10 - 12 Government Miscellany
Chapter 10A Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure
Section 10A.071 CERTAIN GIFTS BY LOBBYISTS AND PRINCIPALS PROHIBITED.

10A.071 CERTAIN GIFTS BY LOBBYISTS AND PRINCIPALS PROHIBITED.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
(b) "Gift" means money, real or personal property, a service, a loan, a forbearance or
forgiveness of indebtedness, or a promise of future employment, that is given and received
without the giver receiving consideration of equal or greater value in return.
(c) "Official" means a public official, an employee of the legislature, or a local official of
a metropolitan governmental unit.
Subd. 2. Prohibition. A lobbyist or principal may not give a gift or request another to give a
gift to an official. An official may not accept a gift from a lobbyist or principal.
Subd. 3. Exceptions. (a) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is:
(1) a contribution as defined in section 10A.01, subdivision 11;
(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
officials, and an equivalent gift is given to the other members of the group; or
(2) by a lobbyist or principal 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.
History: 1994 c 377 s 5; 1999 c 220 s 50; 2005 c 156 art 6 s 4