House File 36 



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  HUSER and RAECKER


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

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to political campaigns by limiting campaign
  2    contributions for statewide and legislative elections and
  3    making penalties applicable.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 1186YH 82
  6 jr/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  68A.506  CONTRIBUTIONS ==
  1  2 LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNTS.
  1  3    1.  As used in this section, "cash" includes but is not
  1  4 limited to a check, money order, or other negotiable
  1  5 instrument.
  1  6    2.  The aggregate amount of a contribution made to a
  1  7 candidate or a candidate's committee by a committee or person
  1  8 other than the candidate shall not exceed the following
  1  9 amounts:
  1 10    a.  For the office of member of the house of
  1 11 representatives, five hundred dollars in cash and an
  1 12 additional five hundred dollars of in=kind contributions for
  1 13 each primary election, or in lieu thereof a convention of a
  1 14 political party, and an equal amount for each general
  1 15 election.
  1 16    b.  For the office of state senator, one thousand dollars
  1 17 in cash and an additional one thousand dollars of in=kind
  1 18 contributions for each primary election, or in lieu thereof a
  1 19 convention of a political party, and an equal amount for each
  1 20 general election.
  1 21    c.  For the office of a statewide elected official, as
  1 22 defined in section 68B.2, ten thousand dollars in cash and an
  1 23 additional ten thousand dollars of in=kind contributions for
  1 24 each primary election, or in lieu thereof a convention of a
  1 25 political party, and an equal amount for each general
  1 26 election.  The limits set out in this paragraph apply to the
  1 27 governor and lieutenant governor together, as if the two
  1 28 offices were one and the same.
  1 29    3.  The aggregate amount of a contribution made to a
  1 30 candidate or a candidate's committee by a political party or
  1 31 political organization, as defined in section 43.2, shall not
  1 32 exceed the following amounts:
  1 33    a.  For the office of member of the house of
  1 34 representatives, one thousand five hundred dollars in cash and
  1 35 an additional four thousand five hundred dollars of in=kind
  2  1 contributions for each primary election, or in lieu thereof a
  2  2 convention of a political party, and an equal amount for each
  2  3    general election.
  2  4    b.  For the office of state senator, three thousand dollars
  2  5 in cash and an additional nine thousand dollars of in=kind
  2  6 contributions for each primary election, or in lieu thereof a
  2  7 convention of a political party, and an equal amount for each
  2  8 general election.
  2  9    c.  For the office of a statewide elected official, as
  2 10 defined in section 68B.2, thirty thousand dollars in cash and
  2 11 an additional ninety thousand dollars of in=kind contributions
  2 12 for each primary election, or in lieu thereof a convention of
  2 13 a political party, and an equal amount for each general
  2 14 election.  The limits set out in this paragraph apply to the
  2 15 governor and lieutenant governor together, as if the two
  2 16 offices were one and the same.
  2 17    4.  A political party or political organization may
  2 18 establish no more than one fund to provide contributions to a
  2 19 candidate or a candidate's committee for the office of member
  2 20 of the house of representatives or state senator or office of
  2 21 a statewide elected official.
  2 22                           EXPLANATION
  2 23    This bill relates to political campaigns and campaign
  2 24 finance and disclosure, containing limitations on certain
  2 25 contributions to candidates for statewide office or the
  2 26 general assembly.
  2 27    The bill limits contributions by a committee or any person
  2 28 other than the candidate.  The term "person" includes any
  2 29 individual, corporation, government or governmental
  2 30 subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust,
  2 31 partnership or association, labor union, or any other legal
  2 32 entity.
  2 33    As provided in Code section 68A.701, willful violation of
  2 34 these limitations is a serious misdemeanor punishable by
  2 35 confinement for up to one year and a fine of at least $315 but
  3  1 not more than $1,875.  A variety of civil remedies are also
  3  2 available in Code section 68B.32D, ranging from a reprimand to
  3  3 a civil penalty of not more than $2,000.
  3  4 LSB 1186YH 82
  3  5 jr:rj/je/5