(a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section. (b) "Gift" has the meaning given it in section 10A.071, subdivision 1 . (c) "Interested person" means a person or a representative of a person or association that has a direct financial interest in a decision that a local official is authorized to make. (d) "Local official" means: (1) an elected or appointed official of a county or city or of an agency, authority, or instrumentality of a county or city; and (2) an elected or appointed member of a school board, a school superintendent, a school principal, or a district school officer of any independent school district. An interested person may not give a gift or request another to give a gift to a local official. A local official may not accept a gift from an interested person. (a) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is: (1) a contribution as defined in section 211A.01, subdivision 5 ; (2) services to assist an official in the performance of official duties, including but not limited to providing advice, consultation, information, and communication in connection with legislation, and services to constituents; (3) services of insignificant monetary value; (4) a plaque or similar memento recognizing individual services in a field of specialty or to a charitable cause; (5) a trinket or memento costing $5 or less; (6) informational material of unexceptional value; or (7) food or a beverage given at a reception, meal, or meeting away from the recipient's place of work by an organization before whom the recipient appears to make a speech or answer questions as part of a program. (b) The prohibitions in this section do not apply if the gift is given: (1) because of the recipient's membership in a group, a majority of whose members are not local officials, and an equivalent gift is given or offered to the other members of the group; (2) by an interested person who is a member of the family of the recipient, unless the gift is given on behalf of someone who is not a member of that family; or (3) by a national or multistate organization of governmental organizations or public officials, if a majority of the dues to the organization are paid from public funds, to attendees at a conference sponsored by that organization, if the gift is food or a beverage given at a reception or meal and an equivalent gift is given or offered to all other attendees.
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