Text: SF00249 Text: SF00251 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 56.6A VOLUNTARY LIMITS ON
1 2 CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES.
1 3 1. A candidate for the general assembly may file a
1 4 declaration of limitation on expenditures pursuant to section
1 5 56.6B, certifying that the candidate and the candidate's
1 6 committee will not do any of the following:
1 7 a. Make expenditures during an election campaign cycle
1 8 exceeding the following amounts:
1 9 (1) Fifty thousand dollars for a candidate for the senate.
1 10 (2) Twenty-five thousand dollars for a candidate for the
1 11 house of representatives.
1 12 b. Accept direct contributions from a state, county, or
1 13 city statutory political committee or a national political
1 14 party.
1 15 2. A candidate who has filed a declaration of limitation
1 16 on expenditures pursuant to section 56.6B shall not be bound
1 17 by the declaration if any opposing candidate for the same
1 18 office has not filed a declaration of limitation on
1 19 expenditures pursuant to section 56.6B, or has filed a
1 20 declaration but has made expenditures exceeding the applicable
1 21 limit.
1 22 3. For the purposes of this section and sections 56.6B and
1 23 56.6C:
1 24 a. "Election campaign cycle" means the period of time
1 25 between any general or special election commencing on the day
1 26 following the previous election for that office, and
1 27 continuing through election day.
1 28 b. "Expenditures" shall include all amounts reported in
1 29 disclosure reports pursuant to section 56.6, subsection 3,
1 30 paragraph "g", as well as any amounts attributed to a
1 31 candidate pursuant to section 56.13.
1 32 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 56.6B DECLARATION OF LIMITATION ON
1 33 EXPENDITURES.
1 34 1. A declaration of limitation on expenditures shall meet
1 35 the requirements of section 56.6A, subsection 1, and shall
2 1 include the signature of the candidate.
2 2 2. A declaration of limitation on expenditures shall be
2 3 filed with the board no later than the date upon which the
2 4 candidate makes a filing pursuant to section 43.11, 44.1, or
2 5 45.4 to have the candidate's name placed on a ballot for
2 6 election to public office.
2 7 3. Once a declaration of limitation on expenditures has
2 8 been filed, a candidate's expenditures may be challenged
2 9 pursuant to the procedure in section 68B.32B. Notwithstanding
2 10 the requirements of that section, the board shall, within
2 11 twenty-four hours of the filing of a complaint, determine
2 12 whether there is probable cause to believe the existence of
2 13 facts that would establish an unreported expenditure, an
2 14 improperly reported expenditure, or aggregate expenditures
2 15 exceeding the applicable limit. The board shall proceed with
2 16 the remainder of the complaint procedure only upon a finding
2 17 of probable cause.
2 18 4. a. A finding by the board that a candidate has
2 19 exceeded the applicable expenditure limit shall not subject
2 20 the candidate to any criminal penalty under this chapter, but
2 21 shall release the candidate's opponent from any obligation to
2 22 comply with that candidate's own declaration of limitation of
2 23 expenditures.
2 24 b. A finding by the board that the candidate has not
2 25 reported or has improperly reported an expenditure shall
2 26 result in appropriate adjustment of the candidate's reported
2 27 expenditures, and may subject the candidate to penalties
2 28 pursuant to section 56.16.
2 29 EXPLANATION
2 30 This bill creates new Code section 56.6A to provide for
2 31 voluntary expenditure limits in political campaigns by
2 32 candidates for the general assembly. The bill also creates
2 33 new Code section 56.6B to provide that expenditures may be
2 34 challenged pursuant to the procedure in Code section 68B.32B
2 35 by filing complaints with the Iowa ethics and campaign
3 1 disclosure board. A complaint challenging an expenditure must
3 2 be assessed by the board within 24 hours of the filing of the
3 3 complaint for probable cause that the expenditure was
3 4 unreported, improperly reported, or caused the candidate to
3 5 exceed the applicable limit. A finding that a candidate has
3 6 exceeded an applicable limit will release the candidate's
3 7 opponent from an obligation to comply with that candidate's
3 8 own declaration of limitation on expenditures. A finding of a
3 9 failure to report or of an improper report may subject the
3 10 candidate to criminal penalties under Code section 56.16.
3 11 LSB 2671XS 79
3 12 jj/gg/8
Text: SF00249 Text: SF00251 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
© 2001 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
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