68B.32A - DUTIES OF THE BOARD. - Iowa Statutes

68B.32A DUTIES OF THE BOARD. The duties of the board shall include but are not limited to all of the following: 1. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A and conduct hearings under sections 68B.32B and 68B.32C and chapter 17A, as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, chapter 68A, and section 8.7. 2. Develop, prescribe, furnish, and distribute any forms necessary for the implementation of the procedures contained in this chapter, chapter 68A, and section 8.7 for the filing of reports and statements by persons required to file the reports and statements under this chapter and chapter 68A. 3. Establish a process to assign signature codes to a person or committee for purposes of facilitating an electronic filing procedure. The assignment of signature codes shall be kept confidential, notwithstanding section 22.2. The board and persons electronically filing reports and statements shall keep assigned signature codes or subsequently selected signature codes confidential. Signature codes shall not be subject to state security policies regarding frequency of change. 4. Review the contents of all campaign finance disclosure reports and statements filed with the board and promptly advise each person or committee of errors found. The board may verify information contained in the reports with other parties to assure accurate disclosure. The board may also verify information by requesting that a candidate or committee produce copies of receipts, bills, logbooks, or other memoranda of reimbursements of expenses to a candidate for expenses incurred during a campaign. The board, upon its own motion, may initiate action and conduct a hearing relating to requirements under chapter 68A. 5. Receive and file registration and reports from lobbyists of the executive branch of state government, client disclosure from clients of lobbyists of the executive branch of state government, personal financial disclosure information from officials and employees in the executive branch of state government who are required to file personal financial disclosure information under this chapter, and gift and bequest disclosure information pursuant to section 8.7. The board, upon its own motion, may initiate action and conduct a hearing relating to reporting requirements under this chapter or section 8.7. 6. Prepare and publish a manual setting forth examples of approved uniform systems of accounts and approved methods of disclosure for use by persons required to file statements and reports under this chapter, chapter 68A, and section 8.7. The board shall also prepare and publish other educational materials, and any other reports or materials deemed appropriate by the board. The board shall annually provide all officials and state employees with notification of the contents of this chapter, chapter 68A, and section 8.7 by distributing copies of educational materials to each agency of state government under the board's jurisdiction. 7. Assure that the statements and reports which have been filed in accordance with this chapter, chapter 68A, and section 8.7 are available for public inspection and copying during the regular office hours of the office in which they are filed and not later than by the end of the day during which a report or statement was received. Rules adopted relating to public inspection and copying of statements and reports may include a charge for any copying and mailing of the reports and statements, shall provide for the mailing of copies upon the request of any person and upon prior receipt of payment of the costs by the board, and shall prohibit the use of the information copied from reports and statements for any commercial purpose by any person. 8. Require that the candidate of a candidate's committee, or the chairperson of a political committee, is responsible for filing disclosure reports under chapter 68A, and shall receive notice from the board if the committee has failed to file a disclosure report at the time required under chapter 68A. A candidate of a candidate's committee, or the chairperson of a political committee, may be subject to a civil penalty for failure to file a disclosure report required under section 68A.402, subsection 1. 9. Establish and impose penalties, and recommendations for punishment of persons who are subject to penalties of or punishment by the board or by other bodies, for the failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 68A, or section 8.7. 10. Determine, in case of dispute, at what time a person has become a candidate. 11. Preserve copies of reports and statements filed with the board for a period of five years from the date of receipt. 12. Establish a procedure for requesting and issuing board advisory opinions to persons subject to the authority of the board under this chapter, chapter 68A, or section 8.7. Local officials and local employees may also seek an advisory opinion concerning the application of the applicable provisions of this chapter. Advice contained in board advisory opinions shall, if followed, constitute a defense to a complaint alleging a violation of this chapter, chapter 68A, section 8.7, or rules of the board that is based on the same facts and circumstances. 13. Establish rules relating to ethical conduct for officials and state employees, including candidates for statewide office, and regulations governing the conduct of lobbyists of the executive branch of state government, including but not limited to conflicts of interest, abuse of office, misuse of public property, use of confidential information, participation in matters in which an official or state employee has a financial interest, and rejection of improper offers. 14. Impose penalties upon, or refer matters relating to, persons who discharge any employee, or who otherwise discriminate in employment against any employee, for the filing of a complaint with, or the disclosure of information to, the board if the employee has filed the complaint or made the disclosure in good faith. 15. Establish fees, where necessary, to cover the costs associated with preparing, printing, and distributing materials to persons subject to the authority of the board. 16. Establish an expedited procedure for reviewing complaints forwarded by the state commissioner of elections to the board for a determination as to whether a supervisor district plan adopted pursuant to section 331.210A was drawn for improper political reasons as described in section 42.4, subsection 5. The expedited procedure shall be substantially similar to the process used for other complaints filed with the board except that the provisions of section 68B.32D shall not apply. 17. At the board's discretion, develop and operate a searchable internet site database that provides access to information on statements or reports filed with the board. For purposes of this subsection, "searchable internet site database" means an internet site database that allows the public to search and aggregate information and is in a downloadable format. 18. At the board's discretion, enter into an agreement with a political subdivision authorizing the board to enforce the provisions of a code of ethics adopted by that political subdivision.          Section History: Recent Form 93 Acts, ch 163, § 15; 95 Acts, ch 198, §19; 2004 Acts, ch 1091, §10; 2005 Acts, ch 76, §6; 2006 Acts, ch 1035, §2--4, 9; 2006 Acts, ch 1185, §69; 2007 Acts, ch 5, §3; 2007 Acts, ch 126, §15; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, § 85; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, § 106; 2008 Acts, ch 1184, § 25; 2008 Acts, ch 1191, § 42; 2009 Acts, ch 181, §41 Referred to in § 68A.101