15A.2 Conflicts of interest.

1. a. If a member of the governing body of a city or county or an employee of a state, city, or county board, agency, commission, or other governmental entity of the state, city, or county has an interest, either direct or indirect, in a private person for which grants, loans, guarantees, tax incentives, or other financial assistance may be provided by the governing board or governmental entity, the interest shall be disclosed to that governing body or governmental entity in writing. The member or employee having the interest shall not participate in the decision-making process with regard to the providing of such financial assistance to the private person.

b. Employment by a public body, its agencies, or institutions or by any other person having such an interest shall not be deemed an indicia of an interest by the employee or of any ownership or control by the employee of interests of the employee’s employer.

c. The word “participate” or “participation” shall be deemed not to include discussion or debate preliminary to a vote of a local governing body or agency upon proposed ordinances or resolutions relating to such a project or any abstention from such a vote.

d. The designation of a bank or trust company as depository, paying agent, or agent for investment of funds shall not be deemed a matter of interest or personal interest.

e. Stock ownership in a corporation having such an interest shall not be deemed an indicia of an interest or of ownership or control by the person owning the stocks when less than five percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by that person.

f. The phrase “decision-making process” shall not be deemed to include resolutions advisory to the local governing body or agency by any citizens group, board, body, or commission designated to serve a purely advisory approving or recommending function for economic development.

2. A violation of a provision of this section is misconduct in office under section 721.2. However, a decision of the governing board or governmental entity is not invalid because of the participation of the member or employee in the decision-making process or because of a vote cast by a member or employee in violation of this section unless the participation or vote was decisive in the awarding of the financial assistance.

87 Acts, ch 183, §3; 88 Acts, ch 1134, §12; 94 Acts, ch 1008, §16; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §125