351—8.13(68B) Ban on certain lobbying activities by government personnel.

1. 8.13(1)  Lobbying restrictions—statewide elected officials and executive or administrative heads.

   1. a. A person who serves as a statewide elected official, the executive or administrative head of an agency, or the deputy executive or administrative head of an agency will not act as a lobbyist during the time in which the person serves or is employed by the state unless the person is designated to represent the official position of the person’s agency.
   2. b. A person subject to this prohibition will not accept employment as a lobbyist for two years after leaving state government except as provided in subrule 8.13(4).

2. 8.13(2)  Lobbying restrictions—employees of statewide elected officials and other agency employees.

   1. a. The head of a major subunit of an agency whose position involves substantial exercise of administrative discretion or the expenditure of public funds or a full-time employee of an office of a statewide elected official whose position involves substantial exercise of administrative discretion or the expenditure of public funds will not act as a lobbyist during the time in which the person is employed by the state before the agency that the person is employed by or before state agencies, officials, or employees with whom the person has substantial or regular contact as part of the person’s duties, unless the person is designated to represent the official position of the agency.
   2. b. A person subject to this prohibition will not accept employment as a lobbyist for two years after leaving state government if the employment involves lobbying before the agency by which the person was employed or before state agencies, officials, or employees with whom the person had substantial and regular contact as part of the person’s former duties except as provided in subrule 8.13(4).
3. 8.13(3)  Lobbying restrictions—conflicts of interest. A state employee who is not included in subrule 8.13(1) or 8.13(2) will not act as a lobbyist in relation to any particular case, proceeding, or application with respect to which the person is directly concerned and personally participates as part of the person’s employment, unless the person is designated to represent the official position of the agency by which the person is employed. Persons subject to this prohibition will not accept employment as a lobbyist for two years after leaving state government if the employment involves lobbying in relation to any particular case, proceeding, or application with respect to which the person was directly concerned and personally participated as part of the person’s employment.
4. 8.13(4)  Exception. This prohibition does not apply to a person who, within two years of leaving state service or employment, is elected to, appointed to, or employed by another office of the state, an office of a political subdivision of the state, or the federal government and represents the position of the new office or employment.
5. 8.13(5)  Complaints. Complaints or information provided to the board alleging a violation of Iowa Code section 68B.5A by an executive branch official or an executive branch employee will be filed with the board.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 68B.5A.

[ARC 0239D, IAB 4/29/26, effective 6/3/26]