JEFFERSON CITY—Touted as a top priority for the legislative session, ethics reform was in the spotlight of today’s (1/26) events as one of the Legislature’s most comprehensive bills on the subject received a hearing in the Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee.
Senate Bill 577, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph), would create the position of an independent investigator within the Ethics Commission, bar certain contributions to incumbent officials during session and expand income reporting requirements to include legislative staff.
Specifically, the bill would create the Office of Independent Investigation within the Ethics Commission to investigate potential ethics violations and file ethics complaints. Complaints filed by the office would continue to be handled in the same manner as they currently are handled.
The measure would also bar lobbyists from contributing to any incumbent legislator’s candidate committee, incumbent governor's candidate committee, any continuing committee, or any campaign committee during the regular session of the General Assembly that runs from January to May. The prohibition would also apply to any incumbent governor's candidate committee or any continuing or campaign committee when legislation from the regular session awaits gubernatorial action.
The only exemption in the bill would be for those incumbents seeking office in a special election. The bill also broadens the definition of a lobbyist to include anyone who influences legislation regardless of the extent of the individual’s purpose. Currently, a lobbyist is considered to be a person whose primary purpose is to influence legislation on a regular basis.
The final provision would require all employees and staff of the General Assembly—including employees of the majority and minority caucuses of both chambers—to file yearly financial interest statements disclosing supplemental income received totaling $5,000 or more. The disclosure must include the source of the income and the general nature of the business conducted.
The rules committee must vote on SB 577, make its recommendations for changes, if any, and pass the bill out of committee before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.
The Second Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly runs through, May 14, 2010. For more information about the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or e-mail newsroom@senate.mo.gov.
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