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House File 596 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1limiting campaign contributions to certain candidates,
2and making penalties applicable.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 68A.507 Contribution limits for
2candidates.
31. For the purposes of this section, “election campaign
4cycle” means the time period between elections for a particular
5office. Each primary, general, and special election is a
6separate election campaign cycle. Separate contribution limits
7for each type of election for a particular office, including
8primary, general, and special elections, apply in an election
9campaign cycle.
102. A person shall not make, and a candidate for the office
11of a statewide elected official as defined in section 68B.2,
12the candidate’s committee, or anyone acting on behalf of the
13candidate or candidate’s committee shall not accept, any
14contribution which will cause the total amount of the person’s
15contributions to the candidate or candidate’s committee to
16exceed the following amounts for an election campaign cycle:
17a. From a political committee, four thousand dollars.
18b. From a national political party, state statutory
19political committee, or county statutory political committee,
20forty thousand dollars.
21c. From any other natural person, four thousand dollars.
223. A person shall not make, and a candidate for state
23senator or state representative, the candidate’s committee,
24or anyone acting on behalf of the candidate or candidate’s
25committee shall not accept, any contribution which will cause
26the total amount of the person’s contributions to the candidate
27or candidate’s committee to exceed the following amounts for an
28election campaign cycle:
29a. From a political committee, one thousand dollars.
30b. From a national political party, state statutory
31political committee, or county statutory political committee,
32ten thousand dollars.
33c. From any other natural person, one thousand dollars.
34EXPLANATION
35The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
-1-1the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
2This bill imposes campaign contribution limits on candidates
3for statewide elected office and candidates for state senator
4or representative. In an election campaign cycle for statewide
5elected office, a political committee shall not contribute more
6than $4,000 to one candidate; a national political party, state
7statutory political committee, or county statutory political
8committee shall not contribute more than $40,000; and any other
9natural person shall not contribute more than $4,000. For a
10candidate for state senator or representative, a political
11committee shall not contribute more than $1,000; a national
12political party, state statutory political committee, or county
13statutory political committee shall not contribute more than
14$10,000; and any other natural person shall not contribute more
15than $1,000.
16A person who violates the bill is subject to penalties
17pursuant to Code section 68B.32D. A person who willfully
18violates the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor (Code
19section 68A.701). A serious misdemeanor is punishable by
20confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least
21$430 but not more than $2,560.
22A variety of civil remedies are also available in Code
23section 68B.32D for a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules
24of the ethics and campaign disclosure board, ranging from a
25reprimand to a civil penalty of not more than $2,000.
-2-ss/ns
2and making penalties applicable.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 68A.507 Contribution limits for
2candidates.
31. For the purposes of this section, “election campaign
4cycle” means the time period between elections for a particular
5office. Each primary, general, and special election is a
6separate election campaign cycle. Separate contribution limits
7for each type of election for a particular office, including
8primary, general, and special elections, apply in an election
9campaign cycle.
102. A person shall not make, and a candidate for the office
11of a statewide elected official as defined in section 68B.2,
12the candidate’s committee, or anyone acting on behalf of the
13candidate or candidate’s committee shall not accept, any
14contribution which will cause the total amount of the person’s
15contributions to the candidate or candidate’s committee to
16exceed the following amounts for an election campaign cycle:
17a. From a political committee, four thousand dollars.
18b. From a national political party, state statutory
19political committee, or county statutory political committee,
20forty thousand dollars.
21c. From any other natural person, four thousand dollars.
223. A person shall not make, and a candidate for state
23senator or state representative, the candidate’s committee,
24or anyone acting on behalf of the candidate or candidate’s
25committee shall not accept, any contribution which will cause
26the total amount of the person’s contributions to the candidate
27or candidate’s committee to exceed the following amounts for an
28election campaign cycle:
29a. From a political committee, one thousand dollars.
30b. From a national political party, state statutory
31political committee, or county statutory political committee,
32ten thousand dollars.
33c. From any other natural person, one thousand dollars.
34EXPLANATION
35The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
-1-1the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
2This bill imposes campaign contribution limits on candidates
3for statewide elected office and candidates for state senator
4or representative. In an election campaign cycle for statewide
5elected office, a political committee shall not contribute more
6than $4,000 to one candidate; a national political party, state
7statutory political committee, or county statutory political
8committee shall not contribute more than $40,000; and any other
9natural person shall not contribute more than $4,000. For a
10candidate for state senator or representative, a political
11committee shall not contribute more than $1,000; a national
12political party, state statutory political committee, or county
13statutory political committee shall not contribute more than
14$10,000; and any other natural person shall not contribute more
15than $1,000.
16A person who violates the bill is subject to penalties
17pursuant to Code section 68B.32D. A person who willfully
18violates the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor (Code
19section 68A.701). A serious misdemeanor is punishable by
20confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least
21$430 but not more than $2,560.
22A variety of civil remedies are also available in Code
23section 68B.32D for a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules
24of the ethics and campaign disclosure board, ranging from a
25reprimand to a civil penalty of not more than $2,000.
-2-ss/ns