Senate ethics subcommittee finds no financial conflict for Sen. Champion on 2025 bill, recommends disclosure going forward

The Minnesota Senate Subcommittee on Ethics on April 24 voted to find that Senator Champion has no financial conflict of interest under Minnesota Statutes section 10A.07 and Senate Rule 56.4 in connection with his authorship of Senate File 2978 (2025), but the panel recommended that he disclose any appearance of a potential conflict in future committee proceedings. The subcommittee made no finding on Senate File 2970 (2023) and directed senate counsel to draft a public advisory opinion for the panel to review at its May 5 meeting.

The advisory request stemmed from media coverage and an ethics complaint related to Senator Champion’s prior legal work and his authorship of the two bills. Senator Champion told the panel he performed the legal work pro bono and “I only did that work pro bono. I did not receive any, anything from it,” and said he sought an advisory opinion to respond to what he described as inaccurate media claims.

Senate counsel, Ms. Stengel, told members that the subcommittee’s review under Rule 55.2 is limited to whether the three statutory elements of a conflict are present under Minnesota Statutes section 10A.07: (1) an action taken in the discharge of official duties, (2) a substantial effect on the senator’s financial interests or those of an associated business, and (3) an effect greater than that on others in the same business class, profession or occupation. Counsel said the pending ethics complaint the panel will address later does not allege a violation of section 10A.07.

Committee debate focused on the scope of the advisory opinion and whether the panel should issue recommendations to the broader Senate about disclosure practices. Some members warned against a broad definition of conflict that would chill routine community service by legislators; others said a simple disclosure requirement would increase transparency and help committees making funding decisions. Senator Matthews offered the motion that the subcommittee find no financial conflict for SF 2978 (2025), recommend disclosure of any appearance of a potential conflict when the senator is chief author of bills, and make no finding on SF 2970 (2023). The motion passed by voice vote.

The panel also clarified factual details presented during the hearing: the 2023 and 2025 bills were discussed in the record; earlier legislation provided a direct appropriation to Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP), which would work with A Mother’s Love and 21 Days of Peace on a community violence-prevention initiative and job development strategy — the appropriation was to CAP, not directly to 21 Days of Peace, according to testimony. Counsel will draft the advisory opinion reflecting the subcommittee’s findings and recommendations and circulate it to members before the May 5 meeting when the panel will vote to adopt the memo and will take up the separate ethics complaint filed April 10.

The subcommittee recorded no formal roll-call tally in the transcript; members indicated the motion carried on a voice vote.