House File 2002
HOUSE FILE
BY RAECKER and ELGIN
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to electronic filing of campaign finance
2 organizational statements and disclosure reports by candidates
3 for statewide office or for the general assembly and by
4 political committees and state statutory political committees,
5 making penalties applicable, and providing an effective date.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
7 TLSB 5138HH 80
8 jr/cf/24
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 68A.402A ELECTRONIC FILING AND
1 2 INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY OF ORGANIZATIONAL STATEMENTS AND
1 3 DISCLOSURE REPORTS.
1 4 1. Statements of organization, notices of dissolution, and
1 5 disclosure reports filed with the board pursuant to the
1 6 requirements of sections 68A.201 and 68A.402 shall be filed in
1 7 an electronic format, according to the following:
1 8 a. A candidate for statewide office or for the general
1 9 assembly or such a candidate's committee, a state statutory
1 10 political committee, or a political committee shall submit the
1 11 information required by sections 68A.201 and 68A.402 in an
1 12 electronic format, by five p.m. of the day the filing is due,
1 13 as prescribed by rule.
1 14 b. A candidate or political committee may submit the
1 15 information required by sections 68A.201 and 68A.402 in an
1 16 electronic format, as prescribed by rule.
1 17 2. All such information required by sections 68A.201 and
1 18 68A.402 that is submitted to the board in an electronic format
1 19 shall be accessible to the public on the internet on the day
1 20 the information is filed. However, information that is filed
1 21 on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday shall be made available on
1 22 the internet by five p.m. on the following business day.
1 23 3. The board shall provide for appropriate training for
1 24 candidates, candidate committee treasurers, political
1 25 committees, and state statutory political committees, and for
1 26 other persons designated by candidates and committees.
1 27 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1,
1 28 2005.
1 29 EXPLANATION
1 30 Effective January 1, 2005, this bill institutes mandatory
1 31 electronic filing of campaign finance statements of
1 32 organization, notices of dissolution, and disclosure reports
1 33 by all candidates for statewide office and for the general
1 34 assembly and by all political (action) committees and state
1 35 statutory political committees (state party central
2 1 committees). The Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board is
2 2 directed to provide appropriate training for candidates,
2 3 candidate committee treasurers, and other designated
2 4 committees and persons. Any other candidate or committee may
2 5 submit its campaign finance statements of organization,
2 6 notices of dissolution, and disclosure reports in electronic
2 7 format, if desired.
2 8 Effective January 1, 2005, the bill requires all such
2 9 campaign finance information submitted to the board in an
2 10 electronic format, as prescribed by rule of the board, to be
2 11 accessible to the public on the internet. Electronic filing
2 12 shall be made by 5 p.m. on the day the filing is due, and the
2 13 information shall be made available to the public via the
2 14 internet on the same day, unless filed on a Friday, Saturday,
2 15 or Sunday, in which case it shall be made available by 5 p.m.
2 16 on the following business day.
2 17 A willful violation of the bill's requirements constitutes
2 18 a serious misdemeanor under Code section 68A.701. A serious
2 19 misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one
2 20 year and a fine of at least $250 but not more than $1,500.
2 21 Civil penalty assessments for late filing of disclosure
2 22 reports may be made by the board under its administrative
2 23 rules.
2 24 LSB 5138HH 80
2 25 jr/cf/24.1