Bills › 91st General Assembly
Prohibiting political subdivisions from using certain moneys to hire lobbyists, and providing penalties
Topics:State governmentCities & countiesTaxes
Same legislation: SF 493
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 27, 2025
- Done: Senate committeeMarch 3, 2025
- Skipped: Passes the SenateContinued as SF 493
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became SF 493 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 493 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Local government units cannot use tax money to pay lobbyists. If someone intentionally breaks this rule, they could face criminal charges or fines. Lobbyists who violate this law may also face penalties like being suspended or dismissed from their jobs.1
Read the official explanation
This bill prohibits a political subdivision from using moneys received from the imposition of a tax to employ or compensate a lobbyist. _____ order by members of the general assembly, a state agency, or any statewide elected official; or makes expenditures of more than $1,000 in a year, other than to pay another lobbyist or to communicate with only the members of the general assembly who represent the district in which the individual resides, to communicate in person with members of the general assembly, a state agency, or any statewide elected official for purposes of encouraging the passage, defeat, approval, veto, or modification of legislation, a rule, or an executive order. A person who knowingly and intentionally violates the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor and if the person is a lobbyist, the person may be reprimanded, suspended, or dismissed from the person’s position or otherwise sanctioned. 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.
Senate subcommittee
Named January 27, 2025. On January 29, 2025 it recommended amendment and passage.
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
1 written public comment to its subcommittee: February 18, 2026 (1) · on the Legislature’s site
Fiscal note
AI summary This bill prohibits political subdivisions from using tax money to pay lobbyists or organizations that employ lobbyists. The fiscal impact cannot be determined because it is unknown how many additional convictions might result from these changes. Any resulting costs to the state's General Fund would include operating expenses for the Judicial Branch, the Indigent Defense Fund, and the Department of Corrections.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
Senate File 493 prohibits a political subdivision from using moneys received from the imposition of a tax to employ or compensate a lobbyist, or pay an instrumentality that employs a lobbyist. A person who knowingly and intentionally violates the restrictions of the Bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor and may be reprimanded, suspended, or dismissed from the person’s position or otherwise sanctioned.
Background
Currently, under Iowa Code section 68B.34, any person knowingly and intentionally violates the provisions of Iowa Code sections 68B.2A through 68B.8, 68B.22 through 68B.24, and 68B.35 though 68B.38 regarding Government Ethics and Lobbying is guilty of a serious misdemeanor and may be reprimanded, suspended, or dismissed from the person’s position or otherwise sanctioned.
A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to one year and a fine of at least $430 but no more than $2,560.
Assumptions
- The following will not change over the projection period: charge, conviction, and sentencing patterns and trends; prisoner length of stay (LOS); revocation rates; plea bargaining; and other criminal justice system policies and practices.
- A delay of six months is assumed from the effective date of the Bill to the date of first entry of affected offenders into the correctional system.
- Marginal costs for county jails cannot be estimated due to a lack of data. For purposes of this analysis, the marginal cost for county jails is assumed to be $50 per day.
Correctional Impact
The correctional impact of the Bill cannot be determined because the number of new convictions cannot be estimated. Figure 1 shows estimates for sentencing to State Prison, parole, probation, or Community-Based Corrections (CBC) residential facilities; LOS in months under those supervisions; and supervision marginal costs per day for a serious misdemeanor. Refer to the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) memo addressed to the General Assembly, Cost Estimates Used for Correctional Impact Statements, dated January 13, 2025, for information related to the correctional system.
Figure 1 — Sentencing Estimates and Length of Stay (LOS) in MonthsConviction Offense
Class
Percent
Ordered to
State
Prison
FY 2024 Avg
LOS in Prison
(All Releases)
Marginal
Cost per
Day
Percent
Ordered
to
Probation
FY24
Field Avg
LOS on
Probation
Avg Cost
per Day on
Probation
Marginal
Cost CBC
per Day
Marginal
Cost per
Day Jail
FY24 Field
Avg LOS
on Parole
Marginal
Cost per
Day Parole
Serious Misdemeanor 2.4% N/A $24.51 53.4% 18.8 $7.68 $18.37 $50.00 N/A $7.68
Minority Impact
The minority impact cannot be determined since it is not known how many convictions would result from the changes under the Bill. Refer to the LSA memo addressed to the General Assembly, Minority Impact Statements, dated January 13, 2025, for information related to minorities in the criminal justice system.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact cannot be determined since it is not known how many additional convictions may result under the Bill. Figure 2 shows the average State cost per offense for a serious misdemeanor. The estimated impact to the General Fund includes operating costs incurred by the Judicial Branch, the Indigent Defense Fund, and the DOC. The costs would be incurred across multiple fiscal years for prison and parole supervision.
Figure 2 — Average Cost per Offense
Sources
- Department of Corrections
- Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning (CJJP), Department of Management (DOM)
- Political Subdivisions, Lobbyist Compensation · March 20, 2025
Family tree
Study bill
91st General Assembly