Senate File 580 - Introduced SENATE FILE 580 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SF 261) A BILL FOR An Act relating to monetary donations that may be received and 1 gifted by local officials and local employees to offset 2 medical or health care expenses, and making penalties 3 applicable. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2302SV (1) 91 th/jh
S.F. 580 Section 1. Section 68B.22, subsection 4, Code 2025, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . t. Moneys received by a local official 3 or local employee in the form of donations from other local 4 officials or local employees to offset medical or health 5 care expenses as a result of a diagnosed condition, if such 6 donations are made and received through the use of an online 7 crowdfunding or fundraising platform. An authorized donation 8 from a donor to a recipient under this paragraph shall not 9 exceed one hundred dollars per calendar year. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 Generally under current law, a public official, public 14 employee, or candidate, or that persons immediate family 15 member is prohibited from accepting or receiving any gift or 16 series of gifts from a restricted donor. Certain monetary 17 gifts are authorized under Code section 68B.22(4). This bill 18 authorizes local officials and local employees to receive 19 moneys in the form of donations made by other local officials 20 or local employees to offset medical or health care expenses 21 as a result of a diagnosed condition. Such donations are 22 authorized if they are made and received through the use of an 23 online crowdfunding or fundraising platform. An authorized 24 donation from a donor to a recipient under the bill cannot 25 exceed $100 per calendar year. 26 When used in Code chapter 68B (government ethics and 27 lobbying), including in the bill, local employee means a 28 person employed by a political subdivision but does not include 29 an independent contractor; and local official means an 30 officeholder of a political subdivision. 31 By operation of law, a person who knowingly and 32 intentionally violates Code section 68B.22, as amended by the 33 bill, commits a serious misdemeanor and may be reprimanded, 34 suspended, or dismissed from the persons position or otherwise 35 -1- LSB 2302SV (1) 91 th/jh 1/ 2
S.F. 580 sanctioned. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement 1 for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not 2 more than $2,560. 3 -2- LSB 2302SV (1) 91 th/jh 2/ 2