Senate File 325 - Introduced SENATE FILE 325 BY CHAPMAN , ERNST , JOHNSON , GUTH , and ANDERSON A BILL FOR An Act relating to the rights of members of a residential 1 cooperative or owners of a condominium. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2158XS (3) 85 jr/sc
S.F. 325 Section 1. Section 499A.2A, Code 2013, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. a. The bylaws shall not prohibit 3 or restrict a member from displaying political signs for 4 sixty days prior to the day of an election and fourteen days 5 following such election, or restrict the size of the sign to 6 less than seven hundred fifty square inches. 7 b. Subject to the size provisions in this subsection, signs 8 advocating for or against a specific issue may be displayed at 9 any time. 10 Sec. 2. Section 499B.15, Code 2013, is amended to read as 11 follows: 12 499B.15 Contents of bylaws. 13 1. The bylaws must provide for at least the following: 14 1. a. The form of administration, indicating whether 15 this shall be in charge of an administrator or of a board of 16 administration, or otherwise, and specifying the powers, manner 17 of removal, and, where proper, the compensation thereof. 18 2. b. If the form of administration is a board of 19 administration, board meetings must be open to all apartment 20 owners except for meetings between the board and its attorney 21 with respect to proposed or pending litigation where the 22 contents of the discussion would otherwise be governed by 23 the attorney-client privilege. Notice of each board meeting 24 must be mailed or delivered to each apartment owner at least 25 seven days before the meeting. Minutes of meetings of the 26 board of administration must be maintained in written form 27 or in another form that can be converted into written form 28 within a reasonable time. The official records of the board 29 of administration must be open to inspection and available for 30 photocopying at reasonable times and places. Any action taken 31 by a board of administration at a meeting that is in violation 32 of any of the provisions of this subsection is not valid or 33 enforceable. 34 3. c. Method of calling or summoning the co-owners 35 -1- LSB 2158XS (3) 85 jr/sc 1/ 2
S.F. 325 to assemble; what percentage, if other than a majority of 1 apartment owners, shall constitute a quorum; who is to preside 2 over the meeting and who will keep the minute book wherein the 3 resolutions shall be recorded. 4 4. d. Maintenance, repair , and replacement of the common 5 areas and facilities and payments therefor including the method 6 of approving payment vouchers. 7 5. e. Manner of collecting from the apartment owners their 8 share of the common expenses. 9 6. f. Designation and removal of personnel necessary for 10 the maintenance, repair , and replacement of the common areas 11 and facilities. 12 7. g. The percentage of votes required to amend the bylaws. 13 2. a. The bylaws shall not prohibit or restrict a member 14 from displaying political signs for sixty days prior to the day 15 of an election and fourteen days following such election, or 16 restrict the size of the sign to less than seven hundred fifty 17 square inches. 18 b. Subject to the size provisions in this subsection, signs 19 advocating for or against a specific issue may be displayed at 20 any time. 21 EXPLANATION 22 This bill prohibits the bylaws of homeowners associations 23 or of housing cooperatives from restricting individual owners 24 from displaying political signs less than 60 days prior to 25 any election and 14 days following any election, and cannot 26 restrict the size of the sign to less than 750 square inches. 27 The bill provides that signs advocating for or against a 28 specific issue may be displayed at any time. 29 -2- LSB 2158XS (3) 85 jr/sc 2/ 2