Iowa Code 68A.302 – Uses of campaign funds
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1. A candidate and the candidate’s committee shall use campaign funds only for campaign purposes, educational and other expenses associated with the duties of office, or constituency services, and shall not use campaign funds for personal expenses or personal benefit. The purchase of subscriptions to newspapers from or which circulate within the area represented by the office which a candidate is seeking or holds is presumed to be an expense that is associated with the duties of the campaign for and duties of office.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 68A.302
- Board: means the Iowa ethics and campaign disclosure board established under section 68B. See Iowa Code 68A.102
- Candidate: means any individual who has taken affirmative action to seek nomination or election to a public office and shall also include any judge standing for retention in a judicial election. See Iowa Code 68A.102
- Child: includes child by adoption. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Committee: includes a political committee and a candidate's committee. See Iowa Code 68A.102
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
- following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
- Person: means , without limitation, any individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, labor union, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 68A.102
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
2. Campaign funds shall not be used for any of the following purposes:
a. Payment of civil or criminal penalties. However, payment of civil penalties relating to campaign finance and disclosure requirements is permitted.
b. Satisfaction of personal debts, other than campaign loans.
c. Personal services, including the services of attorneys, accountants, physicians, and other professional persons. However, payment for personal services directly related to campaign activities is permitted.
d. Clothing or laundry expense of a candidate or members of the candidate’s family.
e. Purchase of or installment payments for a motor vehicle. However, a candidate may lease a motor vehicle during the duration of the campaign if the vehicle will be used for campaign purposes. If a vehicle is leased, detailed records shall be kept on the use of the vehicle and the cost of noncampaign usage shall not be paid from campaign funds. Candidates and campaign workers may be reimbursed for actual mileage for campaign-related travel at a rate not to exceed the current rate of reimbursement allowed under the standard mileage rate method for computation of business expenses pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
f. Mortgage payments, rental payments, furnishings, or renovation or improvement expenses for a permanent residence of a candidate or family member, including a residence in the state capital during a term of office or legislative session.
g. Membership in professional organizations.
h. Membership in service organizations, except those organizations which the candidate joins solely for the purpose of enhancing the candidacy.
i. Meals, groceries, or other food expense, except for tickets to meals that the candidate attends solely for the purpose of enhancing the candidacy or the candidacy of another person. However, payment for food and drink purchased for campaign-related purposes and for entertainment of campaign volunteers is permitted.
j. Payments clearly in excess of the fair market value of the item or service purchased.
k. Payment to a candidate or the candidate’s immediate family member as a salary, gratuity, or other compensation. However, reimbursement of expenses as otherwise authorized in this section is permitted. For purposes of this paragraph, “immediate family member” means the spouse or dependent child of a candidate.
3. The board shall adopt rules which list items that represent proper campaign expenses.