Subdivision 1.Permitted disbursements.

An independent expenditure political committee or fund, or a ballot question political committee or fund, may:

(1) pay costs associated with its fundraising and general operations;

(2) pay for communications that do not constitute contributions or approved expenditures;

(3) make contributions to independent expenditure or ballot question political committees or funds;

(4) make independent expenditures;

(5) make expenditures to promote or defeat ballot questions;

(6) return a contribution to its source;

(7) for a political fund, record bookkeeping entries transferring the association‘s general treasury money allocated for political purposes back to the general treasury of the association;

(8) for a political fund, return general treasury money transferred to a separate depository to the general depository of the association; and

(9) make disbursements for electioneering communications.

Subd. 2.Penalty.

(a) An independent expenditure political committee, independent expenditure political fund, ballot question political committee, or ballot question political fund is subject to a civil penalty of up to four times the amount of the contribution or approved expenditure if it does the following:

(1) makes a contribution to a candidate, local candidate, party unit, political committee, or political fund other than an independent expenditure political committee, an independent expenditure political fund, ballot question political committee, or ballot question political fund; or

(2) makes an approved expenditure.

(b) No other penalty provided in law may be imposed for conduct that is subject to a civil penalty under this section.