Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the payment of dependent care expenses from campaign funds, and making penalties applicable
Sponsored by Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Thomas Townsend (D), Sen. Janice Weiner (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 25, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 26, 2025
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to the payment of dependent care expenses with campaign funds. The bill permits a candidate to pay for dependent care expenses using campaign funds if the expense is incurred as a direct result of a campaign activity or official duty if the candidate wins election, the candidate would not have needed the dependent care but for the candidate’s candidacy or election, the payment to the dependent care provider is reasonable, and the dependent care provider is not the spouse or dependent child of the candidate.
Read the full explanation
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 dependent care log for five years following the submission of a report relating to the log, or for three years following the dissolution of the committee. 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. 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.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Senate subcommittee
Named February 26, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§68A.303A
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
0 for · 0 against · 1 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
Tried before
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- SF 117 Relating to the payment of dependent care expenses from campaign funds, and making penalti…90th General Assembly · In committee · same titleCleared committee
Similar bills this General Assembly
- SF 2332 Relating to the payment of dependent care expenses from campaign funds, and making penalti…91st General Assembly · In committeeNearly identical
- HF 2597 Relating to the payment of home security expenses from campaign funds, and making penaltie…91st General Assembly · Approved by committeeSimilar
- HF 2160 Relating to the payment of personal and home security expenses from campaign funds, and ma…91st General Assembly · In committeeSimilar
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.