House File 715 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY D. OLSON Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating a clean campaign pledge program and establishing 2 a penalty. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2383HH 82 5 jr/es/88 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 68A.407 CLEAN CAMPAIGN PLEDGE 1 2 PROGRAM == PENALTIES. 1 3 1. The general assembly finds that political campaigns 1 4 increasingly disparage or denigrate an opposing candidate for 1 5 public office by making personal attacks and making 1 6 inflammatory or misleading statements. The general assembly 1 7 further finds that such campaign tactics impede a full and 1 8 fair discussion of campaign issues and diminish the trust and 1 9 confidence of the public in the electoral process. 1 10 2. A clean campaign pledge program is created under the 1 11 administration of the board. The board shall allow a 1 12 candidate for public office to participate in the program by 1 13 electronically signing the clean campaign pledge on the 1 14 board's internet website. The website shall also contain a 1 15 database, available to the public, of current candidates for 1 16 public office who have signed the pledge. 1 17 a. The clean campaign pledge shall be displayed on the 1 18 website and shall provide: 1 19 "I pledge to abide by an exemplary standard of conduct. 1 20 During this campaign, I pledge to confine any criticism of my 1 21 opponent to campaign issues and matters of public record and 1 22 to avoid personal attacks. I pledge to refrain from using 1 23 inciting or inflammatory language and from making misleading 1 24 statements. I further pledge to promptly disavow any 1 25 independent expenditure made on my behalf which violates the 1 26 standards established in this pledge." 1 27 b. When signed by the candidate the pledge is binding on 1 28 both the candidate and the candidate's committee through the 1 29 current election period or until specifically withdrawn by the 1 30 candidate. 1 31 c. The board shall develop a clean=campaign=pledge 1 32 logogram which shall be available for use by a participating 1 33 candidate in the candidate's campaign. 1 34 3. A candidate for public office who alleges conduct in 1 35 violation of a pledge made pursuant to this section may file a 2 1 complaint with the board. 2 2 The board shall give priority consideration to a complaint 2 3 filed under this section over all other matters pending before 2 4 the board. If the board determines that a violation of a 2 5 pledge made pursuant to this section did occur, the board 2 6 shall remove the candidate from the program, prohibit the 2 7 candidate from any further use of the program logogram, and 2 8 publicly reprimand the candidate for violation of a pledge 2 9 made pursuant to this section. Other remedies set out in 2 10 section 68B.32D or section 68A.701 do not apply to such 2 11 violations. 2 12 4. The board shall adopt rules as necessary to administer 2 13 the clean campaign pledge program. 2 14 EXPLANATION 2 15 This bill creates new Code section 68A.407 that creates a 2 16 clean campaign pledge program under the administration of the 2 17 ethics and campaign disclosure board. Participating 2 18 candidates would sign a pledge promising to avoid personal 2 19 attacks and to avoid using inciting or inflammatory language 2 20 or making misleading statements. 2 21 A candidate may file a complaint with the ethics and 2 22 campaign disclosure board. If the board determines that a 2 23 violation of a pledge did occur, the board shall remove the 2 24 candidate from the program, prohibit the candidate from any 2 25 further use of the program logogram, and publicly reprimand 2 26 the candidate for the violations. No other penalties may be 2 27 applied. 2 28 LSB 2383HH 82 2 29 jr:rj/es/88