House File 222 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 222 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HF 12) A BILL FOR An Act to prohibit political telephone calls during the 1 nighttime hours and making penalties applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1182HV (2) 84 jr/rj

H.F. 222 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 68A.507 Restrictions on telephone 1 calls made for campaign purposes. 2 1. A person shall not make a telephone call intended 3 to urge the recipient to expressly advocate, as defined in 4 section 68A.102, subsection 14, paragraph “b” , the election 5 or defeat of a candidate or the passage or defeat of a ballot 6 issue beginning at ten p.m. and ending at eight a.m., central 7 standard time or central daylight saving time, as appropriate, 8 the next day. 9 2. “Telephone call” means a call made using or received on 10 a telecommunications service or voice over internet protocol 11 service. 12 3. A person who violates this section is subject to sections 13 68A.701 and 68B.32D. 14 EXPLANATION 15 This bill would prohibit telephone calls intended to urge 16 the recipient to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a 17 candidate or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue between 18 the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. 19 As provided in Code section 68A.701, a willful violation 20 of any provision of the campaign finance chapter is a serious 21 misdemeanor punishable by confinement for up to one year and 22 a fine of at least $315 but not more than $1,875. A variety 23 of civil remedies are also available in Code section 68B.32D 24 for a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules of the ethics and 25 campaign disclosure board, ranging from a reprimand to a civil 26 penalty of not more than $2,000. 27 -1- LSB 1182HV (2) 84 jr/rj 1/ 1