SF3627
Elected officials to be given access to multiple unit dwellings under certain circumstances requirement
Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026)
Related bill: HF3362
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
The bill aims to ensure elected officials and candidates can engage with residents in certain multi-unit living settings without being denied access. It creates a rule that access must be allowed under specific conditions to support official duties and campaign activities.
What the bill would do (Main provisions)
- Prohibits denying access to residents in multi-unit dwellings (apartment houses, dormitories, nursing homes, manufactured home parks, or areas with two or more single-family homes on private roads) to:
- An elected official, or
- A candidate who has organized a campaign committee, filed a required financial report, or filed an affidavit of candidacy.
- Access may be with campaign staff or volunteers, and is allowed only if the location is within the district or the area the official will represent, and the access is for official work or voter registration related to campaigning.
- An elected official or candidate may knock on doors and leave campaign or official materials for residents, with one exception: nursing home managers can require campaign materials be left at a central location within the facility.
- If a facility has multiple buildings, access may occur in more than one building on a single visit, but each building is entered one at a time. If multiple officials or candidates travel together, they must still visit one building at a time, and cannot all be directed to the same building at the same time.
- Violating these access rules is a petty misdemeanor.
Key changes to existing law
- Adds a prohibition on denying access to multi-unit dwellings for elected officials and qualifying candidates.
- Expands the set of locations covered to include apartment houses, dormitories, nursing homes, manufactured home parks, and other multi-unit living areas.
- Creates a framework for how access can be conducted (door-to-door, leaving materials, building-by-building access).
- Establishes responsibilities for campaign staff or volunteers accompanying officials or candidates.
- Introduces a definition of “elected official” to cover a broad range of government roles, excluding the President and Vice President of the United States.
Exceptions and limits (Exceptions in Subd. 2)
- Denial of admittance to a specific unit (e.g., a particular apartment or personal residence).
- Requiring reasonable and proper identification before admission.
- Denial of visits to certain persons for health reasons (e.g., in nursing homes or assisted living facilities).
- Limiting visits to a reasonable number of people or hours; access must be permitted from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at a minimum.
- Requiring a prior appointment to gain access.
- Denial of admittance or expulsion from a multi-unit dwelling for good cause.
Notice to residents (Section 3)
- Building owners, managers, or operators are encouraged to notify residents about the days an elected official or candidate plans to be present.
Definitions (Section 4)
- Defines “elected official” to include individuals elected to or appointed to most federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, and local offices, including special districts and local government structures, with specific exceptions for President, Vice President, and presidential electors.
Enforcement
- Violations of the access requirement are classified as petty misdemeanors.
Practical effect
- This bill would broaden access for candidates and elected officials to engage with residents living in multi-unit housing, while maintaining certain reasonable restrictions designed to protect residents and property, particularly in health-care settings like nursing homes.
Relevant Terms - multi-unit dwelling - apartment house - dormitory - nursing home - manufactured home park - campaign committee - election official / elected official - candidate - campaign staff / volunteers - door-to-door outreach - campaign materials - official work - voter registration - 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. access hours - prior appointment - reasonable identification - good cause - petty misdemeanor - Exceptions / health reasons - notice to residents - 211B.20 (Minnesota Statutes) - affidavit of candidacy - financial report (section 211A.02) - district or represented territory
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 17, 2026 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| February 17, 2026 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Elections | |
| March 26, 2026 | Senate | Action | Comm report: To pass | ||
| March 26, 2026 | Senate | Action | Second reading |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Grants access to an elected official or candidate who has organized a campaign committee, with campaign staff or volunteers accompanying.",
"Access must relate to official work and be limited to the district represented (or to be represented).",
"Authorized to knock on doors and leave materials for residents at their doors; nursing homes may require materials to be left at a central location.",
"If a facility contains multiple buildings, access may be to more than one building on a single visit, but only one building at a time; if multiple officials/candidates travel together, they are limited to one building at a time but may travel together."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 211B.20 subdivision 1 to prohibit denial of access to multiunit residences for elected officials or candidates and to outline conditions for such access, including accompaniment by campaign staff, district-restricted access, and door-to-door interaction with residents; includes provisions related to nursing homes and the handling of campaign materials.",
"modified": [
"Expands access rights and accompanying circumstances beyond prior law, tying access to campaign activity and official work."
]
},
"citation": "211B.20",
"subdivision": "subdivision 1"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Cross-reference to 211A.02 for campaign financial reporting."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 211A.02 in relation to campaign financial reporting as a qualification mechanism; the bill ties access rights to the filing of reports under 211A.02.",
"modified": [
"Links access eligibility to compliance with 211A.02 reporting requirements."
]
},
"citation": "211A.02",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Denial of admittance into a particular apartment, room, manufactured home, or personal residential unit as an exception.",
"Denial of permission to visit certain persons for valid health reasons.",
"Limiting visits by elected officials or candidates or staff/volunteers to a reasonable number of persons or hours.",
"Access must be permitted during 9:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. on any day at a minimum.",
"Prior appointment may be required to gain access to the facility."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Adds exceptions to Subdivision 1, outlining circumstances under which access may be denied or restricted, and specifying requirements related to identification, visit hours, prior appointments, and good cause.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "211B.20",
"subdivision": "subdivision 2"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Notice-to-residents provision regarding the days an elected official or candidate has announced intent to be present."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Requires owner, manager, or operator of a multiunit dwelling to notify residents of the days on which an elected official has provided notice of intent to be present.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "211B.20",
"subdivision": "subdivision 3"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Defines an ‘elected official’ as an individual elected to or appointed to federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or local office (including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule charter and statutory cities, and counties) with certain exclusions (presidents, vice presidents, presidential electors)."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Adds Subdivision 4: Definition of ‘elected official’ for purposes of this section.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "211B.20",
"subdivision": "subdivision 4"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Cross-reference to Minnesota Statutes chapter 144G within Subd.2's exceptions."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "References to nursing homes or assisted living facilities under chapter 144G appear as part of the exceptions in subdivision 2.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "144G",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee