House File 2070 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY McCARTHY Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to campaign contributions by lobbyists and 2 political committees and providing an effective date. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5271YH 82 5 jr/rj/8 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 68A.402, subsection 2, Code Supplement 1 2 2007, is amended by adding the following new paragraph: 1 3 NEW PARAGRAPH. d. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT == BUNDLED 1 4 CONTRIBUTIONS. A candidate's committee of a candidate for 1 5 statewide office or the general assembly shall file a 1 6 supplementary report listing each lobbyist, as defined in 1 7 section 68B.2, or each political committee acting under the 1 8 direction of a lobbyist that provides bundled contributions to 1 9 the committee in excess of five thousand dollars in the 1 10 aggregate in a six=month period. The report shall contain all 1 11 of the following: 1 12 (1) The name of the lobbyist or political committee. 1 13 (2) The address of the lobbyist or political committee. 1 14 (3) The employer or client, or both, of the lobbyist. 1 15 (4) The aggregate amount of bundled contributions provided 1 16 by the lobbyist or political committee to the committee during 1 17 the six=month period. 1 18 (5) The name and address of each person contributing to 1 19 the bundled contribution. 1 20 As used in this paragraph "d", "bundled contribution" means 1 21 a contribution, made by a lobbyist or by a political committee 1 22 under the direction of a lobbyist, which consists of 1 23 contributions provided by two or more persons. 1 24 Sec. 2. Section 68A.504, subsection 1, Code 2007, is 1 25 amended to read as follows: 1 26 1. a. (1) Alobbyist orpolitical committee, other than 1 27 a state statutory political committee, county statutory 1 28 political committee, or a national political party, shall not 1 29 contribute to, act as an agent or intermediary for 1 30 contributions to, or arrange for the making of monetary or 1 31 in=kind contributions to the campaign of an elected state 1 32 official, member of the general assembly, or candidate for 1 33 state office on any day during the regular legislative session 1 34 and, in the case of the governor or a gubernatorial candidate, 1 35 during the thirty days following the adjournment of a regular 2 1 legislative session allowed for the signing of bills. 2 2 (2) A lobbyist shall not contribute to, act as an agent or 2 3 intermediary for contributions to, or arrange for the making 2 4 of monetary or in=kind contributions to the campaign of an 2 5 elected state official or candidate for state office on any 2 6 day during the regular legislative session and, in the case of 2 7 the governor or a gubernatorial candidate, during the thirty 2 8 days following the adjournment of a regular legislative 2 9 session allowed for the signing of bills. 2 10 (3) A lobbyist shall not contribute to the campaign of a 2 11 member of the general assembly or candidate for the general 2 12 assembly. 2 13 b. Except as set out in subsection 2, an elected state 2 14 official, member of the general assembly, or candidate for 2 15 state office shall not accept a contribution as prohibited in 2 16 this subsection. 2 17 Sec. 3. Section 68B.24, subsection 1, Code 2007, is 2 18 amended to read as follows: 2 19 1. An official, member of the general assembly, state 2 20 employee, legislative employee, or candidate for state office 2 21 shall not, directly or indirectly, seek or accept a loan or 2 22 series of loans from a person who is a lobbyist. A member of 2 23 the general assembly shall not accept a contribution from a 2 24 lobbyist as prohibited under section 68A.504, subsection 1, 2 25 paragraph "b". 2 26 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect January 1, 2 27 2009. 2 28 EXPLANATION 2 29 This bill requires a candidate's committee of a candidate 2 30 for statewide office or the general assembly to file a 2 31 supplementary report with the ethics and campaign disclosure 2 32 board listing each lobbyist, or each political committee 2 33 acting under the direction of a lobbyist that provides bundled 2 34 contributions to the committee in excess of $5,000 in the 2 35 aggregate in a six=month period. A bundled contribution is a 3 1 contribution, made by a lobbyist or by a political committee 3 2 under the direction of a lobbyist, which consists of 3 3 contributions provided by two or more persons. 3 4 The bill prohibits a lobbyist from contributing to the 3 5 campaign of a member of the general assembly or candidate for 3 6 the general assembly and prohibits such a member or candidate 3 7 from accepting such a contribution. Under current law, that 3 8 prohibition applies only during the regular legislative 3 9 session. 3 10 As provided in Code section 68A.701, a willful violation of 3 11 any provision of the campaign finance chapter is a serious 3 12 misdemeanor punishable by confinement for up to one year and a 3 13 fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875. A variety of 3 14 civil remedies are also available in Code section 68B.32D for 3 15 a violation of Code chapters 68A or 68B or rules of the ethics 3 16 and campaign disclosure board, ranging from a reprimand to a 3 17 civil penalty of not more than $2,000. 3 18 The bill takes effect January 1, 2009. 3 19 LSB 5271YH 82 3 20 jr/rj/8.1