Relating to matters before the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board, including campaign finance filings and attribution statements

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.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. 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.