Minnesota Lawyer
Relators challenged the decision of a panel of administrative-law judges dismissing their complaint against respondent school district for allegedly violating campaign-finance-reporting requirements in connection with three levy ballot questions. Relators argued that the panel erred by determining that respondent did not “promote” the levy ballot questions within the meaning of Minn. Stat. sec. 211A.01, subd. 4, and therefore was not subject to reporting requirements. The Court of Appeals held that a school district’s act of placing a levy question on the ballot is not an act to “promote” the levy question within the meaning of Minn. Stat. sec. 211A.01, subd. 4. A school district acts to “promote” a levy ballot question within the meaning of Minn. Stat. sec. 211A.01, subd. 4, only when it urges the adoption of the levy ballot question by express advocacy or by statements that, viewed as a whole, are the functional equivalent of express advocacy. Affirmed.
A14-1601 Minn. Voters Alliance v. Anoka-Hennepin School Dist. (Office of Admin. Hearings)
