SF 2115 (LSB 5877XS (2) 88)

SENATE FILE 2115

BY  BOLKCOM

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to combined charitable campaign programs administered by certain public employers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 8A.432, subsection 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The department shall establish and administer a combined charitable campaign program for state employees pursuant to the requirements set forth in sections 70A.14 and 70A.15.  Administration of the combined charitable campaign program shall include allowing equal access to state officers and employees by each charitable organization that desires to participate in the charitable campaign program. Such access shall include but is not limited to distributing materials, making presentations, participating in kick-off and other charitable campaign program events, and allowing media coverage of the campaign.
    Sec. 2.  Section 70A.14, subsection 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  “Charitable organization” means an organization that is eligible to receive contributions which may be deducted on the contributor’s Iowa individual tax return and that has been designated, at the request of one hundred or more eligible state officers and employees, or the number of employees required by subsection 3 of this section, by a responsible official of the payroll system under which the officers or employees are compensated, to receive contributions pursuant to section 70A.15 the same as an eligible charitable organization as defined in section 70A.15A, subsection 1.
    Sec. 3.  Section 70A.14, subsection 3, Code 2020, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 4.  Section 70A.15A, Code 2020, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  An applicable public employer that authorizes deductions from the salaries or wages of its employees for payment to an eligible charitable organization shall establish and administer a combined charitable campaign program. Administration of the combined charitable campaign program shall include allowing equal access to employees of the applicable public employer by each eligible charitable organization that desires to participate in the charitable campaign program. Such access shall include but is not limited to distributing materials, making presentations, participation in kick-off and other charitable campaign program events, and allowing media coverage of the campaign.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires certain public employers that provide payroll deductions from their employees’ wages for payment to a charitable organization to administer a combined charitable campaign program that includes all eligible charitable organizations that wish to participate. The requirements apply to a state officer or employer, a board of directors of a school district, a community college, a county board of supervisors, or a governing body of a city.
   The combined charitable campaign program must allow equal access to employees of the state officer or other public employer by each eligible charitable organization that desires to participate in the charitable campaign program; such access shall include but is not limited to distributing materials, making presentations, participation in kick-off and other charitable campaign program events, and allowing media coverage of the campaign.
   The bill provides that a “charitable organization” for purposes of payroll deductions by state officers and employees is defined the same as an “eligible charitable organization” for purposes of payroll deductions by employees of school districts, community colleges, counties, and cities. “Eligible charitable organization” is defined as a not-for-profit federation of health and human services, social welfare, or environmental agencies or associations that meets certain specified conditions.