Bill > SF1851

This bill establishes a new legal provision to prohibit misrepresentation of campaign authority, creating clear criminal and civil penalties for individuals who fraudulently claim to represent a candidate, political party, committee, or organization. Specifically, the bill makes it illegal to misrepresent oneself or an organization as speaking, writing, or acting on behalf of a real, potential, or even nonexistent candidate or political entity with the intent to defraud. This includes situations where someone falsely represents themselves when soliciting money or anything of value. Violations of this prohibition will be considered a gross misdemeanor, with potential criminal penalties. Additionally, the attorney general, county attorney, or an injured party can bring a civil action to recover damages, with the court able to impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation. The bill also amends existing election law to explicitly include this new section and clarifies that the standard complaint process for election law violations does not apply to these specific misrepresentation offenses. The provisions will become effective on August 1, 2025, and will apply to crimes and causes of action occurring on or after that date, providing a clear timeline for implementation of these new protections against campaign authority misrepresentation.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF1851&ssn=0&y=2025