HB 1337 -- Campaign Contributions

Sponsor:  Dusenberg

Beginning January 1, 2011, this bill changes the laws regarding
campaign contributions to both candidates and committees.  In its
main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Limits campaign contributions from any person other than the
candidate in any one election to candidates for statewide office
at $3,000; for state senator, $1,500; and for state
representative, $750.  Contributions for local candidates
including judicial office are based on population and specified
in the bill.  Certain candidate committees are exempt from these
limitations;

(2)  Limits donations made by political party committees to
$10,000 for a statewide candidate; $5,000 for a state senator
candidate; $2,500 for a state representative candidate; and 10
times the allowable individual contribution for candidates for
other local offices.  Political party committees may also expend
up to 50% of these limits on a candidate who is unopposed in a
primary election;

(3)  Requires contributions from children younger than 14 years
of age to be counted equally toward their parents' contribution
limits or, in the case of a single parent, counted fully against
that parent's contribution;

(4)  Establishes a surcharge penalty payable to the Missouri
Ethics Commission of $1,000 plus the full amount of a
nonallowable contribution for a violation of the campaign
contribution limits by any committee and requires a candidate to
return any nonallowable contribution to the contributor within 10
business days;

(5)  Requires a separate accounting procedure for funds used
prior to January 1, 2011, and allows the use of those funds based
upon current law;

(6)  Limits contributions to a political party or continuing
committee from any one person or entity to $1,500 for a
particular election and allows political party committees to make
unlimited in-kind contributions or expenditures on behalf of a
candidate if the contributions or expenditures are not
coordinated with the candidate;

(7)  Prohibits all contributions between continuing committees;

(8)  Prohibits fundraising events or solicitation of
contributions or expenditures on state-owned property including
the property of political subdivisions;

(9)  Prohibits fundraising events within 100 miles of the State
Capitol Building when the legislature is in regular session;

(10)  Requires contributions for leadership positions in the
General Assembly to be disclosed to the Missouri Ethics
Commission and made available to the public in the same manner as
required in Section 130.057, RSMo; and

(11)  Increases the penalty for a purposeful violation of Chapter
130 from a class A misdemeanor to a class D felony.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:10 pm