House File 647 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 61)
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, dissolution reports, and disclosure
3 reports by candidates for statewide office or for the general
4 assembly, establishing a filing deadline for all statements
5 and reports, providing a penalty, and providing applicability
6 dates.
7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
8 TLSB 1637HV 81
9 jr/pj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 68A.401, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 1. All statements and reports required to be filed under
1 4 this chapter shall be filed with the board and received no
1 5 later than the specified due date. The board shall provide
1 6 copies of all statements and reports filed under this chapter
1 7 for a county, city, school, or other political subdivision to
1 8 the commissioner responsible under section 47.2.
1 9 Sec. 2. Section 68A.401, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 10 amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
1 11 NEW PARAGRAPH. a. A candidate's committee of a candidate
1 12 for statewide office or the general assembly shall file all
1 13 statements and reports in an electronic format, by five p.m.
1 14 of the day the filing is due and according to rules adopted by
1 15 the board. Any other candidate or political committee may
1 16 submit the statements and reports in an electronic format as
1 17 prescribed by rule.
1 18 NEW PARAGRAPH. b. All information submitted to the board
1 19 in an electronic format by twelve noon shall be accessible to
1 20 the public on the internet on the day the information is
1 21 filed. However, information that is filed on a Saturday,
1 22 Sunday, or after twelve noon on Friday shall be made available
1 23 on the internet by five p.m. on the following business day.
1 24 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. If the board determines that a
1 25 violation of this subsection has occurred, the board may
1 26 impose any of the remedies or penalties provided for under
1 27 section 68B.32D, except that the board shall not refer any
1 28 complaint or supporting information of a violation of this
1 29 section to the attorney general or any county attorney for
1 30 prosecution.
1 31 Sec. 3. Section 68A.403, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 32 amended to read as follows:
1 33 1. A Unless filed in an electronic format in accordance
1 34 with section 68A.401, subsection 1, a report or statement
1 35 required to be filed under this chapter shall be signed by the
2 1 person filing the report.
2 2 Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY. The requirements of section
2 3 68A.401, subsection 1, paragraphs "a", "b", and "c", apply to
2 4 committees that file a statement of organization on or after
2 5 January 1, 2007, and all committees regardless of when they
2 6 filed their statement of organization, on January 1, 2009.
2 7 EXPLANATION
2 8 This bill institutes mandatory electronic filing of
2 9 campaign finance statements of organization, dissolution
2 10 reports, and disclosure reports by all candidates for
2 11 statewide office and for the general assembly. The required
2 12 electronic filing shall be made by 5:00 p.m. on the day the
2 13 filing is due; information filed by 12 noon shall be made
2 14 available to the public via the internet on the same day,
2 15 unless filed on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 12 noon on a
2 16 Friday in which case the information shall be made available
2 17 by 5:00 p.m. on the following business day.
2 18 Any other candidate or committee may submit its campaign
2 19 finance statements of organization, dissolution reports, and
2 20 disclosure reports in an electronic format.
2 21 The bill requires that all reports and statements required
2 22 to be filed under Code chapter 68A must be received by the
2 23 ethics and campaign disclosure board no later than the
2 24 specified due date.
2 25 Penalties for the violation of these provisions are set out
2 26 in Code section 68B.32D, ranging from a public reprimand to a
2 27 $2,000 fine.
2 28 The election filing portions of the bill apply January 1,
2 29 2007, to newly formed committees of a candidate for statewide
2 30 office or for the general assembly and apply to all such
2 31 committees on January 1, 2009.
2 32 LSB 1637HV 81
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