Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 68A.503 (2026)

Financial institution, insurance company, and corporation contributions — sham newspapers

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. Except as provided in subsections 3, 4, 5, and 6, an insurance company, savings association, bank, credit union, or corporation shall not make a monetary or in-kind contribution to a candidate or committee except for a ballot issue committee.

Tue Dec 09 22:30:38 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 68A (44, 0) 21 CAMPAIGN FINANCE, §68A.504\n\n 2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a candidate or committee, except for a ballot issue committee, shall not receive a monetary or in-kind contribution from an insurance company, savings association, bank, credit union, or corporation. 3. An insurance company, savings association, bank, credit union, or corporation may use money, property, labor, or any other thing of value of the entity for the purposes of soliciting its stockholders, administrative officers, professional employees, and members for contributions to a political committee sponsored by that entity and for financing the administration of a political committee sponsored by that entity. The entity’s employees to whom the foregoing authority does not extend may voluntarily contribute to such a political committee but shall not be solicited for contributions. A candidate or committee may solicit, request, and receive money, property, labor, and any other thing of value from a political committee sponsored by an insurance company, savings association, bank, credit union, or corporation as permitted by this subsection. 4. The prohibitions in subsections 1 and 2 shall not apply to an insurance company, savings association, bank, credit union, or corporation engaged in any of the following activities: a. Using its funds to encourage registration of voters and participation in the political process or to publicize public issues. b. Using its funds to expressly advocate the passage or defeat of ballot issues. c. Using its funds for independent expenditures as provided in section 68A.404. d. Using its funds to place campaign signs as permitted under section 68A.406. 5. a. The prohibitions in subsections 1 and 2 shall not apply to media organizations when discussing candidates, nominations, public officers, or public questions. b. Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, the board shall adopt rules requiring the owner, publisher, or editor of a sham newspaper that promotes in any way the candidacy of a person for any public office to comply with this section and section 68A.404. As used in this subsection, “sham newspaper” means a newspaper publication that is published for the primary purpose of evading the requirements of this section or section 68A.404, and “owner” means a person having an ownership interest exceeding ten percent of the equity or profits of the publication. 6. The prohibitions in subsections 1 and 2 shall not apply to a nonprofit organization communicating with its own members. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this subsection. 7. For purposes of this section “corporation” means a for-profit or nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to the laws of this state, the United States, or any other state, territory, or foreign country. [S13, §1641-h, -i, -k; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §8405 – 8407; C46, 50, 54, 58, §491.69 – 491.71; C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §491.69 – 491.71, 496A.145; C77, 79, 81, §56.29; 81 Acts, ch 35, §14] 83 Acts, ch 139, §13, 14 C91, §56.15 93 Acts, ch 142, §9; 94 Acts, ch 1178, §2; 95 Acts, ch 198, §14; 99 Acts, ch 136, §10, 11, 17; 2003 Acts, ch 40, §9 CS2003, §68A.503 2004 Acts, ch 1042, §7; 2004 Acts, ch 1114, §6; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §364; 2005 Acts, ch 3, §19; 2005 Acts, ch 72, §20; 2007 Acts, ch 61, §2; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, §23; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §28; 2009 Acts, ch 42, §6; 2010 Acts, ch 1025, §8; 2010 Acts, ch 1119, §5, 7; 2012 Acts, ch 1017, §44 Referred to in §68A.201A, 68A.406

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 2010–2018 · leading case: Iowa Right To Life Comm. v. Megan Tooker, 717 F.3d 576 (8th Cir. 2013).

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Iowa Right To Life Comm. v. Megan Tooker, 717 F.3d 576 (8th Cir. 2013). · cites it 8× “See Iowa Code § 68A.503. Count 4. Iowa’s requirements that a corporation’s board of directors authorize independent expenditures in advance, and that an officer of the corporation certify the authorization, violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.”

Iowa Right to Life Comm., Inc. v. Smithson, 750 F. Supp. 2d 1020 (S.D. Iowa 2010). · cites it 5× “IRTL also asks this Court to enjoin enforcement of Iowa Code § 68A.503. Mot. at 1. As amended in April 2010, § 68A.”

Iowa Right to Life Comm., Inc. v. Tooker, 808 N.W.2d 417 (Iowa 2011). · cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 68A.503(1) (2009). However, Iowa law did allow individuals and other entities such as unincorporated associations and unions to engage in these activities, and it permitted corporations to engage in express advocacy on ballot issues.”

Iowa Right to Life Comm., Inc. v. Tooker, 795 F. Supp. 2d 852 (S.D. Iowa 2011). · cites it 2× “Count Three In Count Three, IRTL challenges Iowa Code § 68A.503, which bans direct corporate campaign contributions.”

1A Auto, Inc. v. Dir. of the Off. of Campaign & Political Fin., 105 N.E.3d 1175 (Mass. 2018). · cites it 2× “§ 9-613 ; Iowa Code § 68A.503; Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 121.”

— Iowa Code § 68A.503(1) — 3 cases

Iowa Right To Life Comm. v. Megan Tooker, 717 F.3d 576 (8th Cir. 2013). “See Iowa Code § 68A.503. Count 4. Iowa’s requirements that a corporation’s board of directors authorize independent expenditures in advance, and that an officer of the corporation certify the authorization, violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.”

Iowa Right to Life Comm., Inc. v. Tooker, 808 N.W.2d 417 (Iowa 2011). “” Iowa Code § 68A.503(1) (2009). However, Iowa law did allow individuals and other entities such as unincorporated associations and unions to engage in these activities, and it permitted corporations to engage in express advocacy on ballot issues.”

Iowa Right to Life Comm., Inc. v. Smithson, 750 F. Supp. 2d 1020 (S.D. Iowa 2010). “IRTL also asks this Court to enjoin enforcement of Iowa Code § 68A.503. Mot. at 1. As amended in April 2010, § 68A.”

— Iowa Code § 68A.503(4)(d) — 1 case

— Iowa Code § 68A.503(l) — 1 case

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