Subd. 1. Permitted disbursements.

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

1. (1) pay costs associated with its fundraising and general operations;
2. (2) pay for communications that do not constitute contributions or approved expenditures;
3. (3) make contributions to independent expenditure or ballot question political committees or funds;
4. (4) make independent expenditures;
5. (5) make expenditures to promote or defeat ballot questions;
6. (6) return a contribution to its source;
7. (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; and
8. (8) for a political fund, return general treasury money transferred to a separate depository to the general depository of the association.

Subd. 2. Penalty.

1. (a) An independent expenditure political committee or independent expenditure 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. (1) makes a contribution to a candidate, local candidate, party unit, political committee, or political fund other than an independent expenditure political committee or an independent expenditure political fund; or
   2. (2) makes an approved expenditure.
2. (b) No other penalty provided in law may be imposed for conduct that is subject to a civil penalty under this section.