HB 678 -- ETHICS

SPONSOR:  Seigfreid

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elections
by a vote of 13 to 0.

This bill makes several changes to the laws governing lobbyists,
the Missouri Ethics Commission, and campaign finance
disclosure.  In its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Deletes the following from the categories into which
lobbyist expenditures must be divided on required monthly
reports:  printing and publication expenses, media and other
advertising expenses, and honoraria;

(2)  Moves from Section 105.475 to Section 105.473, RSMo, the
provision that makes lobbyist expenditures to public officials,
their staff, or their family not subject to reporting
requirements if the expenditure was compensation for or a
benefit of employment when that employment is in addition to the
public employment;

(3)  Repeals the provision that makes the laws governing
lobbyist reports, registration, and disclosure inapplicable to
union members not acting as lobbyists for a union;

(4)  Gives the Missouri Ethics Commission, under certain
circumstances, the discretion (on the vote of at least 4
members) to settle a complaint case by imposing a fee of not
more than $1,000.  Under current law, the commission is required
to hold a hearing;

(5)  Changes the deadline for filing a statement of committee
organization from the date for filing the first report required
by Section 130.046 to 30 days prior to the election;

(6)  Changes the deadline for a continuing committee to file
additional required reports from no later than the seventh to no
later than the eighth day before an election;

(7)  Requires a committee's treasurer to file a statement, when
no disclosure reports are required, that the committee has not
exceeded the thresholds for the reporting period;

(8)  Moves the requirements of what must be contained in an
out-of-state committee contribution or expenditure report from
Section 130.050 to Section 130.049;

(9)  Moves the provisions regarding nominee compliance and late
contributions from Section 130.050 to Sections 130.062 and
130.063 respectively;

(10)  Requires the fees collected for late filing of campaign
disclosure reports to be deposited to the credit of the county
school fund pursuant to Section 166.131; and

(11)  Changes the culpability standard for the class A
misdemeanor of "purposely" violating the campaign finance
disclosure laws to "knowingly" violating the laws.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that most of the changes in the bill
clarify existing law, are clean-up measures from previous
enactments, or reorganize the sections in a more logical manner.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Farnen; and Missouri
Ethics Commission.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Julie Jinkens McNitt, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:45 am