HF 376 (LSB 2588YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 376

BY  BAETH, WICHTENDAHL, MADISON, OLSON, KRESSIG, GOSA, SCHEETZ, BAGNIEWSKI, and CROKEN

A BILL FOR

An Act limiting campaign contributions to certain candidates, and making penalties applicable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  68A.507  Contribution limits for candidates.
   1.  For the purposes of this section, “election campaign cycle” means the time period between elections for a particular office. Each primary, general, and special election is a separate election campaign cycle. Separate contribution limits for each type of election for a particular office, including primary, general, and special elections, apply in an election campaign cycle.
   2.  A person shall not make, and a candidate for the office of a statewide elected official as defined in section 68B.2, the candidate’s committee, or anyone acting on behalf of the candidate or candidate’s committee shall not accept, any contribution which will cause the total amount of the person’s contributions to the candidate or candidate’s committee to exceed the following amounts for an election campaign cycle:
   a.  From a political committee, four thousand dollars.
   b.  From a national political party, state statutory political committee, or county statutory political committee, forty thousand dollars.
   c.  From any other natural person, four thousand dollars.
   3.  A person shall not make, and a candidate for state senator or state representative, the candidate’s committee, or anyone acting on behalf of the candidate or candidate’s committee shall not accept, any contribution which will cause the total amount of the person’s contributions to the candidate or candidate’s committee to exceed the following amounts for an election campaign cycle:
   a.  From a political committee, one thousand dollars.
   b.  From a national political party, state statutory political committee, or county statutory political committee, ten thousand dollars.
   c.  From any other natural person, one thousand dollars.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill imposes campaign contribution limits on candidates for statewide elected office and candidates for state senator or representative. In an election campaign cycle for statewide elected office, a political committee shall not contribute more than $4,000 to one candidate; a national political party, state statutory political committee, or county statutory political committee shall not contribute more than $40,000; and any other natural person shall not contribute more than $4,000. For a candidate for state senator or representative, a political committee shall not contribute more than $1,000; a national political party, state statutory political committee, or county statutory political committee shall not contribute more than $10,000; and any other natural person shall not contribute more than $1,000.
   A person who violates the bill is subject to penalties pursuant to Code section 68B.32D. A person who willfully violates the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor (Code section 68A.701). 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.
   A variety of civil remedies are also available in Code section 68B.32D for a violation of Code chapter 68A or rules of the ethics and campaign disclosure board, ranging from a reprimand to a civil penalty of not more than $2,000.