HB 1500 -- Government Reform

Sponsor:  Tilley

This bill changes the laws regarding ethics and lobbying.  In its
main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Specifies that the crime of bribery of a public servant
includes when the Governor or an agent of the Governor exchanges
various appointed positions for an official vote on a public
matter by a member of the General Assembly;

(2)  Specifies that the crime of acceding to corruption by a
public servant includes when a member of the General Assembly
exchanges an official vote on a public matter for an appointment
to certain positions;

(3)  Prohibits a legislator and the legislator's spouse,
dependent children, and parents from receiving compensation
during the legislator's term of office for the legislator's
actions as a paid political consultant for another legislator or
a statewide elected official or committee as defined under the
Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws, Chapter 130, RSMo;

(4)  Prohibits members of the General Assembly from acting,
serving, or registering as a legislative lobbyist under the
Conflict of Interest and Lobbying Laws, Chapter 105, within 180
days of leaving office;

(5)  Requires legislators, statewide elected officials, and their
staff and employees to file a report regarding any paid political
activity, including paid political consulting, in which they or
any business entity in which they or their spouse, dependent
children, or parent have any ownership interest have performed
for a committee as defined under the Campaign Finance Disclosure
Laws, Chapter 130;

(6)  Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
President Pro Tem of the Senate, and statewide elected officials
to return contributions as defined under the Campaign Finance
Disclosure Laws, Chapter 130, made by any person, the person's
spouse, or any business in which the person or the person's
spouse holds a substantial interest to any committee for the
benefit of the legislator or statewide elected official during
the four years immediately preceding that person's appointment to
certain specified positions by the legislator or statewide
elected official;

(7)  Requires the Governor to disclose the name of all
appointees, the amount and date of any contribution made by the
appointee to any committee during the four years immediately
preceding the appointment.  The disclosure must be included in
the letter of transmittal to the Senate announcing the
appointment, printed in the Senate journal, and accessible to the
public on the Governor's and the Senate's web site;

(8)  Prohibits the Governor from appointing legislators to
certain positions until the member has been out of office for at
least 180 days;

(9)  Specifies that the definitions used in Section 105.470
regarding lobbying will apply to Section 105.456.  Currently, the
definitions only apply to Section 105.473;

(10)  Adds a certificate or plaque in recognition of legislative
service to the list of items that will not be considered a
required reportable expenditure for a lobbyist;

(11)  Allows a lobbyist to report the total expenditures for a
meal provided to all members of the House of Representatives or
Senate when the members are invited in writing by the lobbyist,
but repeals the provisions which allow the reporting of total
expenditures for members of a joint committee of the General
Assembly, a standing committee of the House of Representatives or
the Senate, or the majority or minority caucus of the House of
Representatives or the Senate;

(12)  Prohibits members of the General Assembly, statewide
officials, and persons acting on their behalf or at their request
from accepting any expenditure from a lobbyist as defined in
Section 105.470;

(13)  Adds members of the General Assembly and the staff and
employees under their direct supervision, statewide officials
and their staff and employees, and caucus staff to the list of
individuals who must file a financial interest statement pursuant
to Chapter 105;

(14)  Prohibits statewide office holders from accepting or
soliciting contributions or fund-raising activities from any
person whom the statewide holder appoints with the advice and
consent of the Senate, the appointee's spouse, or any business in
which the appointee or the appointee's spouse holds a substantial
interest during and for 180 days after the appointment ends;

(15)  Prohibits persons appointed by the Governor with the advice
and consent of the Senate, the appointee's spouse, or any
business in which either of them holds a substantial interest
from being solicited by a statewide office holder to make any
contribution to or engage in fund-raising activities or events
for the statewide office holder during and for 180 days after the
appointment ends;

(16)  Prohibits persons and businesses from making a contribution
of any kind to a candidate committee or state political party
committee that makes expenditures on behalf of a statewide office
holder or executive branch official when that person or business
has certain matters requiring a decision or determination pending
before the statewide office holder or executive branch official;
and

(17)  Prohibits statewide office holders from soliciting
contributions from any person or business while that person or
business has certain specified matters requiring a decision or
determination pending before the statewide office holder or
executive branch official.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm