HSB 597 (LSB 6142YC (2) 87)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON ETHICS BILL BY CHAIRPERSON TAYLOR)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to governmental ethics and the regulation of lobbyists and gifts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 68B.2, subsection 13, paragraph b, subparagraph (7), Code 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   (7)  An individual who is a member, director, trustee, officer, or committee member of a business, trade, labor, farm, professional, religious, education, or charitable association, foundation, or organization who either is not paid compensation or and is not specifically designated as provided in paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1) or (2).
    Sec. 2.  Section 68B.22, subsection 4, paragraph p, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   Gifts of food Food, beverages, travel, or lodging received by a public official or public employee if all of the following apply:
    Sec. 3.  Section 68B.22, subsection 4, paragraph s, Code 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   s.  Gifts of food Food, beverage, and entertainment received at a function where every member of the general assembly has been invited to attend, when the function takes place during a regular session of the general assembly. A sponsor of a function under this paragraph shall file a registration prior to the function taking place identifying the sponsor and the date, time, and location of the function. The registration shall be filed with the person or persons designated by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house and with the board. After a function takes place, the sponsor of the function shall file a report disclosing the total amount expended, including in-kind expenditures, on food, beverage, and entertainment for the function. The report shall be filed with the person or persons designated by the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house and with the board within twenty-eight calendar days following the date of the function. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to governmental ethics and the regulation of lobbyists and gifts.
   Currently, the definition of “lobbyist” includes eight exceptions. One of the exceptions provides that a person is not a lobbyist if the person is an individual who is a member, director, trustee, officer, or committee member of a business, trade, labor, farm, professional, religious, education, or charitable association, foundation, or organization who either is not paid compensation or is not specifically designated as a lobbyist. The bill, in order for the exception to apply, requires the person to both not be paid compensation and not be specifically designated as a lobbyist.
   The bill amends two exceptions to the gift law by eliminating wording redundancies.