Bill > HF4540

This bill prohibits individuals from falsely claiming to represent or act on behalf of any candidate, political party, or campaign organization, whether real or imaginary, with the intent to defraud, and also makes it illegal to conspire to do so. It specifically addresses situations where someone misrepresents their authority when soliciting money or other valuable items. Violating these provisions is considered a gross misdemeanor, a serious criminal offense. Furthermore, the bill allows for civil remedies, meaning individuals harmed by such misrepresentations, as well as the Attorney General or a county attorney, can sue to recover damages, investigation costs, attorney fees, and potentially receive other court-ordered relief, including a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation. These civil remedies are in addition to any other legal options and do not replace the existing complaint process for other election law violations, though this new section explicitly states that the complaint process outlined in sections 211B.31 to 211B.36 does not apply to violations of this new law. The bill also amends an existing law to clarify that violations of this new prohibition can be enforced directly as outlined in the new section, rather than going through the standard administrative complaint process. This legislation takes effect on August 1, 2025.

Government Affairs

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/HF/4540/