68A.302 Uses of campaign funds.

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.

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.

91 Acts, ch 226, §10

CS91, §56.41

92 Acts, ch 1228, §27, 28; 93 Acts, ch 142, §11; 93 Acts, ch 163, §38; 95 Acts, ch 198, §15; 2003 Acts, ch 40, §9

CS2003, §68A.302

2009 Acts, ch 20, §1

Referred to in §68A.303, 68A.402B