HF 2160 (LSB 6012YH (7) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2160

BY  BARKER, GOSA, SITZMANN, FETT, WILLIAMS, and BEHN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the payment of personal and home security expenses from campaign funds, and making penalties applicable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  68A.303A  Personal and home security expenses.
   1.  In addition to the uses permitted under sections 68A.302 and 68A.303, a candidate or candidate’s committee may use campaign funds to pay for personal and home security expenses if the payment to the personal or home security provider is reasonable for the services rendered.
   2.  A candidate using campaign funds for personal or home security expenses shall keep a log detailing the date, name of the personal or home security provider, and cost for each personal or home security expense paid or owed by the campaign or candidate. Total personal and home security expenses shall be included as a line-item expense in a report submitted pursuant to section 68A.402. A candidate’s log of personal and home security expenses shall be provided to the board if requested during the course of an audit. The candidate’s committee shall preserve a personal and home security log for five years following the submission of a report relating to the log, or for three years following the dissolution of the candidate’s committee.
   3.  For purposes of this section, “personal and home security expenses” includes but is not limited to expenses related to the purchase of firearms, firearm equipment, and training.
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 the payment of personal and home security expenses with campaign funds. The bill permits a candidate to pay for personal and home security expenses using campaign funds if the payment to the personal or home security provider is reasonable. The bill requires the candidate to keep logs relating to payment for any such services, which shall be provided to the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board upon request during the course of an audit. The bill requires the candidate’s committee to preserve a personal and home security log for five years following the submission of a report relating to the log, or for three years following the dissolution of the committee. The bill defines “personal and home security expenses” to include expenses related to the purchase of firearms, firearm equipment, and training. 
   A person who violates a provision of Code chapter 68A is subject to civil penalties imposed by the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board, including remedial action, a reprimand, and a civil penalty up to $2,000 (Code section 68B.32D). In addition, a person who willfully violates a provision of Code chapter 68A is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.