HF4172

Purpose

The bill creates rules to limit how the legislature uses official digital and physical resources. It aims to ensure that legislative email addresses, legislative telephone numbers, and office space are used only by authorized people (members, officers, and their staff) and to require notification before non-members can access certain office spaces. It also establishes how the rules will be enforced.

Main provisions

Subdivision 1: Email and telephone

• It would be illegal for a member, officer, or employee of the Senate or House to establish a legislative email address for, or assign a legislative telephone number to, any person who is not a member, officer, or employee of the Senate or House.

Subdivision 2: Member telephone numbers

• The legislative telephone number assigned to a member is for the exclusive use of that member. If the member authorizes it, it may also be used by an employee assigned to the member by the member’s caucus or by the House.

Subdivision 3: Office space

• It would be illegal for a contractor or other person who is not a member, officer, or employee to permanently or temporarily occupy an office space assigned by the Commissioner of Administration to the Senate or House without first giving written notice to the leaders of each caucus in the relevant house.

Subdivision 4: Enforcement

• The Senate and House would adopt rules to implement this section, including remedies. The remedies in the rules would be exclusive. Courts or administrative agencies would not have jurisdiction to enforce, enjoin, penalize, award damages, or otherwise act on a violation of this section, nor to invalidate any law because of a violation, or to interpret this section.

Effect on existing law

• The bill adds a new provision (3.0555) to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 3, creating limits on legislative technology and office space use and outlining how violations are to be handled through internal rules rather than outside courts.

Significant changes introduced

• Establishes explicit restrictions on who can receive a legislative email address or a legislative phone number and who may occupy legislative office space.
• Requires written notification to caucus leaders before non-members can occupy office space.
• Shifts enforcement away from courts to exclusive internal remedies via Senate and House rules, with no external jurisdiction to adjudicate violations.

Relevant terms - legislative email address - legislative telephone number - office space - Commissioner of Administration - caucus - leaders of each caucus - contractor - non-member - member - officer - employee - Minnesota Statutes Chapter 3 - rules - remedies - jurisdiction - enforcement