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SS/SCS/SB 577 - With a unanimous vote of the Ethics Commission, the executive director may conduct an independent investigation of an ethics violation without a complaint if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation has occurred. The commission shall notify the person under investigation and assign a special investigator. The investigations of the executive director are confidential and the revealing of such information shall be cause for removal or dismissal. Investigations failing to establish reasonable grounds to believe a violation has occurred shall be terminated. (Sections 105.955, 105.957, 105.959, 105.961) Currently, within 120 days of receipt of a complaint, the special investigator submits a report to the commission. This amendment changes that threshold to 90 days. (Section 105.961) Determinations that violations have occurred, other than referrals for criminal prosecution, may be appealed de novo to the Circuit Court of Cole County. (Section 105.961) The act removes a provision allowing extra time for investigations when they are assigned to a retired judge and a provision allowing the commission to file a petition to seek extra time. (Section 105.966) Deputy treasurers are no longer required to be residents of the county or district in which their committee sits. (Section 130.021) Committees are barred from transferring funds to all other committees. However, candidate committees may receive funds from all other committees and candidate committees may transfer funds to continuing committees. Civil penalties shall be assessed for those who do so and those who do so three times or with the intent to conceal the identity of the source shall vacate their position as treasurer and be forever barred from acting as treasurer. (Section 130.031) State senators and representatives and candidates for those offices shall report contributions received during the legislative session exceeding $250 within 48 hours of receiving the contribution. The same 48 hour reporting requirement is imposed for contributions given to the governor, all statewide elected officials, and candidates for those offices during legislative session and any time when legislation from the regular legislative session awaits gubernatorial action. (Section 130.044) CHRIS HOGERTY
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