Ballot Measures & Constitutional Amendments

While Minnesotans have seen two constitutional amendments on the ballot in the last decade (motor vehicles sales tax in 2006 and the Legacy Amendment in 2008), the increased activity in this area in the 2011 Legislative Session indicates that this is an increasing policymaking arena in Minnesota, and one that has significant implications for the nonprofit community.

A bill to ban same sex marriage in Minnesota passed to be put on the ballot as a constitutional amendment question in 2012. Several additional bills were introduced that may eventually go on the 2012 ballot, including limiting voting to those who possess a photo ID, establishing judicial retention elections and setting constitutional spending limits.
 
Nonprofit organizations are legally allowed to participate in ballot questions, such as the ones currently being debated in Minnesota. While there are some state reporting requirements related to the level of activity an organization engages in, and some federal limits according to a nonprofit’s IRS classification, nonprofits in Minnesota should feel free to engage in these important policy questions in their communities—and should learn about and understand the constraints and requirements to do so.