Campaign Finance Law Jan. 1

Contributed report

Effective Jan. 1, a new law passed by the Minnesota State Legislature last spring will take effect that will impact election financing.

The goal of the law is to restrict campaign financing or promotion of candidates or ballot questions by contributors tied to companies outside the United States.

Under the new law, “foreign-influenced corporations” will no longer be able to make contributions to a candidate or a candidate’s principal campaign committee; make contributions to a political committee, political fund or party unit; take any action to publicly endorse or oppose a candidate or ballot question; promote or defeat a candidate for nomination, election or appointment to a public office; or promote or defeat a ballot question or qualify a ballot question for placement on the ballot.

Corporations that make authorized contributions or expenditures that are legally allowed will be required to submit a certification to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board stating it wasn’t influenced by foreign entities.