Elected officials required to be given access to multiple unit dwellings under certain circumstances.

A bill for an act

relating to fair campaign practices; requiring elected officials to be given access

to multiple unit dwellings under certain circumstances; amending Minnesota

Statutes 2024, section 211B.20, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota

Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 211B.20, subdivisions 2, 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 211B.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prohibition.

(a) It is unlawful for a person, either directly or indirectly,

to deny access to an apartment house, dormitory, nursing home, manufactured home park,

other multiple unit facility used as a residence, or an area in which two or more single-family

dwellings are located on private roadways to
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an elected official or to
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a candidate who has:

(1) organized a campaign committee under applicable federal or state law;

(2) filed a financial report as required by section
211A.02
; or

(3) filed an affidavit of candidacy for elected office.

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A
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An elected official or
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candidate granted access under this section must be allowed to

be accompanied by
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campaign
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staff or
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volunteers.

(b) Access to a facility or area is only required if it is located within the district or territory

that
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is represented by the elected official or
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will be represented by the office to which the

candidate seeks election, and the
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elected official or
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candidate and any accompanying
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campaign
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staff or
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volunteers seek access exclusively for
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the purpose of
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purposes related to

the official work of the elected official,
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campaigning for a candidate
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,
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or registering voters.
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The
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An elected official must be currently serving in office. A
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candidate must be seeking

election to office at the next general or special election to be held for that office.

(c)
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A
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An elected official or
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candidate and any accompanying
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campaign
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staff or
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volunteers

granted access under this section must be permitted to knock on the doors of individual

units to speak with residents, and to leave
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materials related to the official work of the elected

official or
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campaign materials for residents at their doors, except that the manager of a

nursing home may direct that
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the campaign
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any
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materials be left at a central location within

the facility. The
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campaign
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materials must be left in an orderly manner.

(d) If a facility or area contains multiple buildings,
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a
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an elected official or
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candidate and

accompanying
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staff or
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volunteers must be permitted to access more than one building on a

single visit, but access is limited to only one building at a time. If multiple
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elected officials

or
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candidates are traveling together, each
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elected official or
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candidate and that
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official's or
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candidate's accompanying
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staff or
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volunteers
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is
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are
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limited to one building at a time, but all

of the
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officials and
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candidates and accompanying
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staff or
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volunteers traveling together must

not be restricted to accessing the same building at the same time.

(e) A violation of this section is a petty misdemeanor.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 211B.20, subdivision 2, is amended

to read:

Subd. 2.

Exceptions.

Subdivision 1 does not prohibit:

(1) denial of admittance into a particular apartment, room, manufactured home, or

personal residential unit;

(2) requiring reasonable and proper identification as a necessary prerequisite to admission

to a multiple unit dwelling;

(3) in the case of a nursing home or an assisted living facility under chapter 144G, denial

of permission to visit certain persons for valid health reasons;

(4) limiting visits by
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elected officials or
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candidates
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, or staff
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or volunteers accompanied

by the
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official or
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candidate
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,
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to a reasonable number of persons or reasonable hours, provided

that access must be permitted during the hours of 9:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. on any day,

at a minimum;

(5) requiring a prior appointment to gain access to the facility; or

(6) denial of admittance to or expulsion from a multiple unit dwelling for good cause.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 211B.20, subdivision 3, is amended

to read:

Subd. 3.

Notice to residents.

The owner, manager, or operator of a multiple unit dwelling

is encouraged to notify residents of the days on which
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a
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an elected official or
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candidate has

provided notice of an intent to be present.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 211B.20, is amended by adding a subdivision to

read:

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Subd. 4.

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Definition.

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For purposes of this section, "elected official" means an individual

who was elected to or appointed to an elected federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or

local office, including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule charter and statutory

cities, and counties, except president and vice president of the United States and presidential

electors.

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