Political subdivisions may be permitted to donate gifts to nonprofit organizations.
Sponsored by Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Mpls), HF3220 was passed by the House 97-33 April 1. Received by the Senate one day later, the bill awaits action by the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy) is the Senate sponsor.
According to Davnie, the bill would authorize a political subdivision to give money or make in-kind gifts to nonprofit organizations classified as 501(c)(3) groups. Such groups are restricted from lobbying or supporting political parties.
The gift must be for public purpose that supports educational, social service, health or charitable purposes. It must be presented and voted on at a regularly scheduled meeting of the subdivision’s governing body.
“The idea of taking taxpayer money and giving it to nonprofit groups is something we need to be concerned about,” said Rep. Paul Kohls (R-Victoria). He added that if members of the House were honest with themselves they might question whether some of the work being done by nonprofits is really worthy of taxpayer support.
Amendments unsuccessfully offered by Rep. Mark Buesgens (R-Jordan) would have prohibited any taxpayer dollars from going to nonprofits affiliated with political parties and prevented political subdivisions currently receiving less state aid than the previous year from donating to nonprofit groups.
Davnie said that Buesgens was ignoring the language in the bill that specifies any gifts must be for public purpose.
An amendment offered by House Minority Leader Marty Seifert (R-Marshall) would have specified that political subdivisions cannot give monetary or in-kind grants to groups that provide abortions. It failed 66-64.
“Our tax dollars and local government aid should not be used to fund the abortion industry,” Seifert said.