JEFFERSON CITY—State Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors, today filed two bills in the Missouri Senate aimed at reinstating strong ethics laws in Missouri, including a measure that criminalizes obstructing ethics investigations. Ethics reform has been named as one of the top priorities by both chambers in the Missouri Legislature for the 2014 session.
Senator Walsh, a long-time advocate for stricter ethics laws in Missouri, is hopeful this year marks a turning point in her continued efforts to add more transparency and accountability to state government.
“Even lawmakers complacent with the current status quo can no longer ignore citizens’ demands for ethics reform. Public outrage has reached a fever pitch, and rightfully so,” said Sen. Walsh. “People have lost faith in the power of government to improve their lives. They distrust their own elected officials to act in their best interest. All of these problems stem from a lack of ethics laws in our state. We’ve allowed money to corrupt our political system and erode the public trust that makes a democracy possible. It has to stop.”
Senate Bill 737 creates the Class A misdemeanor crime of obstruction of an ethics investigation if one knowingly bribes a person for withholding information, accepts a bribe for withholding information, or makes a false statement to the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Senate Bill 738 would stop the current practice of money laundering donations through political committees. Under current law, political funds can be transferred from one committee to another, obscuring the identity of the original donor.
In addition, the legislation updates Missouri’s ethics laws, which hasn’t been done since the 1990s. The measure would redefine “electronic” as it relates to credit and debit cards, and change the definition of “printed matter” to include online ads, something that hardly existed when the statutes were originally created. The act also streamlines reporting requirements by eliminating duplicate filings, among other provisions.
Senator Walsh views Senate Bill 738 as nuts-and-bolts legislation that will create the framework for implementing and enforcing stronger ethics laws in Missouri, a goal she feels must be accomplished this year.
“If we’re truly serious about creating good government, the first step is addressing our current ethics laws, or lack thereof. Until we do that, every legislative action we make is tainted by the perception of officials acting in their own self-interest, whether they are or not,” said Sen. Walsh. “It casts public doubt on every bill we pass, and tarnishes our efforts to improve citizens’ lives. Ethics reform must happen this year.”
For more information on Sen. Walsh’s sponsored legislation, visit her official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/walsh. |
