House
Study
Bill
52
-
Introduced
SENATE/HOUSE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
ETHICS
AND
CAMPAIGN
DISCLOSURE
BOARD
BILL)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
prohibiting
the
use
of
public
resources
for
political
1
purposes
and
making
penalties
applicable.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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S.F.
_____
H.F.
_____
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
68A.505A
Use
of
public
resources
1
for
political
purposes.
2
1.
A
public
official
or
public
employee
shall
not
use
or
3
permit
the
use
of
any
of
the
following
public
resources
for
a
4
political
purpose:
5
a.
A
website
or
social
media
page.
6
b.
An
electronic
mail
account
or
address.
7
c.
Computer
hardware
or
software.
8
d.
A
telephone,
including
a
cellular
telephone.
9
e.
A
facsimile
machine.
10
f.
A
printer,
copier,
or
scanner.
11
g.
Public
moneys.
12
2.
For
purposes
of
this
section:
13
a.
“Public
employee”
means
the
same
as
defined
in
section
14
68B.2.
15
b.
“Public
official”
means
the
same
as
defined
in
section
16
68B.2.
17
c.
“Public
resource”
means
property
managed
or
maintained
18
by
the
state
or
the
governing
body
of
a
county,
city,
or
other
19
political
subdivision
of
the
state.
20
3.
This
section
does
not
prohibit
a
public
official
or
21
public
employee
from
using
a
public
resource
for
a
political
22
purpose
if
the
public
resource
is
available
to
a
member
of
the
23
general
public
to
use
for
other
purposes.
24
EXPLANATION
25
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
26
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
27
This
bill
relates
to
the
use
of
public
resources
for
28
political
purposes.
The
bill
prohibits
public
officials
and
29
employees
from
using
or
permitting
the
use
of
certain
public
30
resources
managed
or
maintained
by
the
state
of
Iowa
or
the
31
governing
body
of
a
political
subdivision
of
the
state
for
a
32
political
purpose.
The
bill
does
not
prohibit
the
use
of
a
33
public
resource
for
a
political
purpose
if
the
public
resource
34
is
available
to
the
general
public
to
use
for
other
purposes.
35
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S.F.
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H.F.
_____
A
person
who
violates
a
provision
of
Code
chapter
68A
1
is
subject
to
civil
penalties
imposed
by
the
Iowa
ethics
2
and
campaign
disclosure
board,
including
remedial
action,
a
3
reprimand,
and
a
civil
penalty
up
to
$2,000.
In
addition,
a
4
person
who
willfully
violates
a
provision
of
Code
chapter
68A
5
is
guilty
of
a
serious
misdemeanor.
A
serious
misdemeanor
is
6
punishable
by
confinement
for
no
more
than
one
year
and
a
fine
7
of
at
least
$315
but
not
more
than
$1,875.
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