Subdivision 1. Permitted disbursements. An independent expenditure political committee or fund, or a ballot question political committee or fund, may:
(1) pay costs associated with its fund-raising and general operations;
(2) pay for communications that do not constitute contributions or approved expenditures;
(3) make contributions to independent expenditure or ballot question political committees or funds;
(4) make independent expenditures;
(5) make expenditures to promote or defeat ballot questions;
(6) return a contribution to its source;
(7) for a political fund, record bookkeeping entries transferring the association's general treasury money allocated for political purposes back to the general treasury of the association; and
(8) for a political fund, return general treasury money transferred to a separate depository to the general depository of the association.
Subd. 2. Penalty. (a) An independent expenditure political committee or independent expenditure political fund is subject to a civil penalty of up to four times the amount of the contribution or approved expenditure if it does the following:
(1) makes a contribution to a candidate, local candidate, party unit, political committee, or political fund other than an independent expenditure political committee or an independent expenditure political fund; or
(2) makes an approved expenditure.
(b) No other penalty provided in law may be imposed for conduct that is subject to a civil penalty under this section.
History:2010 c 397 s 6; 2013 c 138 art 1 s 23; 2021 c 31 art 4 s 21