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, 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