Subdivision 1.Financial interest of agents.

No employee of the state or of the University of Minnesota in direct contact with suppliers or potential suppliers to the state or the university, or who may directly or indirectly influence a purchasing decision or contract by establishing specification, testing purchased products, evaluating contracted services, or otherwise has official involvement in the purchasing or contracting process may:

Attorney's Note

Under the Minnesota Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Misdemeanorup to 90 daysup to $1,000
For details, see § 609.02

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 15.43

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44

(1) have any financial interest or have any personal beneficial interest directly or indirectly in contracts or purchase orders for goods or services used by, or purchased for resale or furnished to a department or agency of the state or the university; or

(2) accept directly or indirectly from a person, firm, or corporation to which a contract or purchase order has been or may be, awarded, a rebate, gift, money, or anything of value other than items of nominal value. No such employee may further accept any promise, obligation or contract for future reward.

Subd. 2.Textbooks exempted.

Textbooks, software, and other course materials authored by an employee of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or of the University of Minnesota may be used as required course material. Instructors in state institutions and at the university may accept free samples of textbooks and related teaching materials.

Subd. 3.Other exemptions.

The commissioners of human services and corrections may by rule prescribe procedures for the acceptance of gifts from any person or organization, provided that such gifts are accepted by the commissioner, or a designated representative of the commissioner, and that such gifts are used solely for the direct benefit of patients or inmates under the jurisdiction of the accepting state officer.

Subd. 4.Penalties.

A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.