The bill, H.F. No., authored by Lee K. and Freiberg, pertains to the funding of the state elections campaign account in Minnesota. It proposes an amendment to a section of the Minnesota Statutes (section 10A.31, subdivision 4) that deals with how money designated for state elections is managed. Here's a simplified breakdown of the changes proposed in the bill:

1. Transfer of Funds:

   • The bill modifies how the state handles funds designated by individuals to the state elections campaign account. Previously, after deducting a 3% administrative fee, the remaining money was managed differently. Now, this money (after the 3% deduction) is to be directly transferred and credited to the state elections campaign account.

2. Appropriation of Funds:

   • The funds in the state elections campaign account, after the 3% deduction, are to be annually distributed according to specific subdivisions detailed in the statutes.
   • In addition to individual contributions, the bill also appropriates a specific amount (between $2,432,000 and $4,432,000, depending on the election cycle) from the general fund directly to the state elections campaign account for each general election. This sum supports the financial requirements of the state elections campaign.

3. Administrative Costs:

   • The 3% previously deducted from individual designations will continue to be retained in the general fund to cover administrative expenses associated with managing these funds.

The purpose of these changes is to ensure proper funding and management of state election financing, making the process more streamlined and explicitly defining the flow of funds for clarity and better implementation.