House File 128 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 128 BY BRECKENRIDGE A BILL FOR An Act limiting campaign contributions to certain candidates 1 and making civil and criminal penalties applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1398YH (1) 88 ss/jh

H.F. 128 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 68A.507 Contribution limits for 1 candidates. 2 1. For the purposes of this section, “election campaign 3 cycle” means the time period between elections for a particular 4 office. Each primary, general, and special election is a 5 separate election campaign cycle. Separate contribution limits 6 for each type of election for a particular office, including 7 primary, general, and special elections, apply in an election 8 campaign cycle. 9 2. A person shall not make and a candidate, candidate’s 10 committee, or anyone acting on behalf of any candidate or 11 candidate’s committee shall not accept any contribution which 12 will cause the total amount of the person’s contributions to 13 a candidate or candidate’s committee to exceed the following 14 amounts for an election campaign cycle: 15 a. From a political committee that contributes to five or 16 more candidates, five thousand dollars. 17 b. From a political committee that contributes to fewer than 18 five candidates, two thousand seven hundred dollars. 19 c. From a national political party, state statutory 20 political committee, or county statutory political committee, 21 five thousand dollars. 22 d. From any other person, two thousand seven hundred 23 dollars. 24 3. This section applies to candidates for state senator, 25 state representative, and the office of a statewide elected 26 official as defined in section 68B.2. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill imposes campaign contribution limits on candidates 31 for state senator or representative and candidates for 32 statewide elected office. In an election campaign cycle, 33 a political committee that contributes to five or more 34 candidates shall not contribute more than $5,000 to one 35 -1- LSB 1398YH (1) 88 ss/jh 1/ 2

H.F. 128 candidate; a political committee that contributes to fewer 1 than five candidates shall not contribute more than $2,700 to 2 one candidate; a national political party, state statutory 3 political committee, or county statutory political committee 4 shall not contribute more than $5,000; and no other person 5 shall contribute more than $2,700. 6 A person who violates the bill is subject to penalties 7 pursuant to Code section 68B.32D. A person who willfully 8 violates this bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A 9 serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more 10 than one year and a fine of at least $315 but not more than 11 $1,875. 12 A variety of civil remedies are also available in Code 13 section 68B.32D for a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules 14 of the ethics and campaign disclosure board, ranging from a 15 reprimand to a civil penalty of not more than $2,000. 16 -2- LSB 1398YH (1) 88 ss/jh 2/ 2