This bill amends various sections of Minnesota Statutes related to campaign finance, specifically focusing on the definitions and reporting requirements for lobbyists and public officials. It introduces a new definition for "expert witness," clarifying that it refers to individuals providing testimony or reports based on their expertise. The definition of "lobbyist" is modified to include those who communicate with public officials and to specify that certain local officials are exempt from being classified as lobbyists unless they exceed a threshold of 50 hours of lobbying activity in a month. Additionally, the definition of "metropolitan governmental unit" is updated to include specific commissions and authorities.

The bill also enhances lobbying reporting requirements by mandating that lobbyists disclose information about expert witnesses they request to communicate with public officials. It requires public officials and elected local officials to disclose potential conflicts of interest and outlines the penalties for failing to do so. Furthermore, it expands the requirement for filing statements of economic interest to include additional public officials and specifies the filing process for those in metropolitan governmental units. Overall, the bill aims to increase transparency and accountability in lobbying and campaign finance activities in Minnesota.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 10A.01, 10A.04, 10A.07, 10A.08, 10A.09