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Bill > HF544
IA HF544
IA HF544A bill for an act relating to matters before the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board, including campaign finance filings and attribution statements.(Formerly HSB 110.)
summary
Introduced
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
In Committee
03/18/2025
03/18/2025
Crossed Over
03/17/2025
03/17/2025
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to matters before the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board (board). The bill requires a political committee and a candidate’s committee to provide an electronic mail address along with the name, purpose, mailing address, and telephone number of the committee when the committee files a statement of organization with the board. When a committee or organization is not organized under Code section 68A.201, the committee officers are also required to provide an electronic mail address when filing full disclosure reports of all financial activities with the federal election commission or another state’s disclosure commission. The bill extends the deadline for required filings to be submitted electronically to the board from 4:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the day the filings are due. By operation of law, in computing time, the first day is excluded and the last included, unless the last falls on Sunday or holiday, in which case the time prescribed is extended so as to include the whole of the following Monday, or day after the holiday, as applicable. The bill prohibits all candidates from establishing, directing, or maintaining a political committee. Under current law, the prohibition only applies to candidates for statewide or legislative office. The bill adds radio and internet advertising to the definition of “published material” as used in Code chapter 68A, and strikes motion picture advertising from the definition. “Published material”, including radio and internet advertising under the bill, that is designed to expressly advocate the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate for public office or the passage or defeat of a ballot issue is required to include an attribution statement disclosing who is responsible for the material. Current law requires the board to annually elect one member to serve as the chairperson of the board and one member to serve as vice chairperson. The bill prohibits the chairperson and vice chairperson from being members of the same political party.
AI Summary
This bill makes several changes to Iowa's campaign finance and ethics regulations. Political committees and candidate committees will now be required to provide an electronic mail address when filing their organizational statements, and the deadline for electronic filing with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board is extended from 4:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the due date. The bill expands the prohibition on establishing political committees to all candidates, not just those seeking statewide or legislative offices. The definition of "published material" is updated to include radio and internet advertising while removing motion picture advertising, and such published materials advocating for or against candidates or ballot issues must include an attribution statement disclosing who is responsible for the material. Additionally, the bill introduces a new requirement that the chairperson and vice chairperson of the ethics board cannot be members of the same political party, ensuring greater partisan balance in the board's leadership. These changes aim to increase transparency, modernize campaign finance reporting, and prevent potential conflicts of interest in the state's political processes.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (0)
No sponsors listed
Other Sponsors (1)
State Government (H)
Last Action
Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 757. (on 04/10/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
Document Type | Source Location |
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State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF544 |
BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF544.html |
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