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1 29 current election period or until specifically withdrawn by the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