House File 2678 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  McCARTHY

                                       (COMPANION TO LSB 6650XS
                                        BY GRONSTAL)


    Passed House, Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act prohibiting the use of campaign funds as compensation to a
  2    candidate and providing an effective date.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 6650YH 82
  5 jr/rj/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 68A.302, subsection 2, Code 2007, is
  1  2 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
  1  3    NEW PARAGRAPH.  k.  Payment to a candidate as a salary,
  1  4 gratuity, or other compensation.  However, reimbursement of
  1  5 expenses as otherwise authorized in this section is permitted.
  1  6    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of
  1  7 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
  1  8                           EXPLANATION
  1  9    Code section 68A.302 generally limits the use of campaign
  1 10 funds to campaign purposes, educational and other expenses
  1 11 associated with the duties of office, or constituency
  1 12 services.  That section prohibits the use of campaign funds
  1 13 for personal expenses or personal benefit and provides a list
  1 14 of prohibited uses.
  1 15    This bill adds to the list of prohibited uses the use of
  1 16 campaign funds to pay the candidate a salary, gratuity, or
  1 17 other form of compensation.
  1 18    As provided in Code section 68A.701, a willful violation of
  1 19 any provision of the campaign finance chapter is a serious
  1 20 misdemeanor punishable by confinement for up to one year and a
  1 21 fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875.  A variety of
  1 22 civil remedies are also available in Code section 68B.32D for
  1 23 a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules of the ethics and
  1 24 campaign disclosure board, ranging from a reprimand to a civil
  1 25 penalty of not more than $2,000.
  1 26    The bill is effective upon enactment.
  1 27 LSB 6650YH 82
  1 28 jr/rj/14.1