Senate File 181 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY APPEL, STEWART, SCHMITZ,
QUIRMBACH, DOTZLER, DEARDEN,
FRAISE, KIBBIE, SODDERS,
RAGAN, JOCHUM, RIELLY,
SCHOENJAHN, KREIMAN, and
BOLKCOM
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing campaign contribution limits for candidates
2 for statewide office or the general assembly and making civil
3 and criminal penalties applicable.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 1622SS 83
6 jr/sc/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 68A.502A LIMITATIONS ON
1 2 CONTRIBUTIONS.
1 3 1. During any election campaign cycle a person shall not
1 4 make and a candidate or candidate's committee shall not accept
1 5 any contribution, as defined in section 68A.102, that in the
1 6 aggregate exceeds the following:
1 7 a. Two thousand dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 8 committee for a statewide office.
1 9 b. Five hundred dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 10 committee for the Iowa house of representatives.
1 11 c. One thousand dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 12 committee for the Iowa senate.
1 13 2. A state statutory political committee, political party,
1 14 or political committee shall not make and a candidate or
1 15 candidate's committee shall not accept contributions that,
1 16 during any election campaign cycle, in the aggregate, exceed
1 17 the following:
1 18 a. Four thousand dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 19 committee for a statewide office.
1 20 b. One thousand dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 21 committee for the Iowa house of representatives.
1 22 c. Two thousand dollars to any candidate or candidate's
1 23 committee for the Iowa senate.
1 24 3. The term "election campaign cycle" means the time
1 25 period between elections for a particular office. For
1 26 purposes of this section, each primary, general, and special
1 27 election is a separate election campaign cycle. Separate
1 28 contribution limits for each type of election for a particular
1 29 office, including primary, general, and special elections,
1 30 apply in an election campaign cycle. However, if a candidate
1 31 for office does not run in a contested primary election, the
1 32 contribution limit for the general election shall apply for
1 33 the time period covering both the primary and general
1 34 elections.
1 35 4. The contribution limitations in this section do not
2 1 include contributions made by the candidate to the candidate's
2 2 own campaign.
2 3 EXPLANATION
2 4 This bill establishes campaign contribution limits for
2 5 candidates for statewide office and the general assembly.
2 6 Separate limits are established for individuals, political
2 7 committees, state party central committees, and political
2 8 parties. It is a violation both for a contributor to make and
2 9 a candidate or candidate's committee to accept contributions
2 10 in excess of the amounts set out in the bill.
2 11 The specified limitations are for each election cycle,
2 12 i.e., a primary, general, or special election. By operation
2 13 of law, the limitations apply to in=kind contributions, such
2 14 as printing, but do not apply to the cash value of volunteer
2 15 activity.
2 16 The bill provides that the contribution restrictions do not
2 17 apply to contributions made by the candidate to the
2 18 candidate's own campaign.
2 19 As provided in Code section 68A.701, a willful violation of
2 20 any provision of the campaign finance chapter is a serious
2 21 misdemeanor punishable by confinement for up to one year and a
2 22 fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875. A variety of
2 23 civil remedies are also available in Code section 68B.32D for
2 24 a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules of the ethics and
2 25 campaign disclosure board, ranging from a reprimand to a civil
2 26 penalty of not more than $2,000.
2 27 LSB 1622SS 83
2 28 jr/sc/8