TrustVoting Atlas

68B.32C and chapter 17A, as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter and chapter
68A.
2. Develop, prescribe, furnish, and distribute any forms necessary for the implementation
of the procedures contained in this chapter and chapter 68A 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 all registrations and reports that are required to be filed with the board under
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§68B.32A, GOVERNMENT ETHICS AND LOBBYING
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this chapter. The board, upon its own motion, may initiate action, conduct hearings, impose
sanctions, and order administrative resolutions relating to reporting requirements under this
chapter.
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 and chapter 68A. 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 and chapter 68A 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 and chapter 68A 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 or chapter 68A.
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 or chapter 68A. 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, 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 that differs from a supervisor district
plan prepared by the legislative services agency 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
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GOVERNMENT ETHICS AND LOBBYING, §68B.32B
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.
19. Impose penalties upon, or refer matters relating to, persons who provide false
information to the board during a board investigation of a potential violation of this chapter,
chapter 68A, or rules of the board. The board shall adopt rules to administer this subsection.
§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; 2010 Acts, ch 1006, §6, 11; 2010 Acts, ch 1054, §4 – 6; 2018
Acts, ch 1151, §3, 6