HCS HB 525 -- ETHICS

SPONSOR:  May

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elections
by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding ethics and campaign
contribution disclosures.  In its main provisions, the
substitute:

(1)  Requires lobbyists to file verified registration forms with
the Missouri Ethics Commission no later than January 5 of each
year or five days after beginning lobbyist activities and removes
the requirement that lobbyists provide the commission with a
summary of legislation they supported or opposed (Section
105.473, RSMo);

(2)  Changes the dates when financial interest statements must be
filed and designates the commission as the filing officer for all
other persons required to file a financial statement for which no
filing officer is otherwise specified (Section 105.487);

(3)  Gives lobbyists and other individuals the right to appeal a
late fee assessment on a disclosure report (Sections 105.492 and
105.963);

(4)  Changes the language regarding the notice that must be given
to subjects of complaints and commission investigations from
"actual notice" to "notice" and changes the body to which they
may appeal commission actions from the Administrative Hearing
Commission to the circuit court of Cole County (Section 105.961);

(5)  Removes direct dollar amounts from various sections limiting
campaign contributions and instead references the section
establishing the base amount and the method of computing the
biennial increase (Sections 130.011 and 130.046);

(6)  Allows candidates or committees who file with the local
election authorities to not report the name and number of bank
accounts (Section 130.021);

(7)  Changes wording from the Campaign Finance Review Board to
Missouri Ethics Commission (Section 130.036);

(8)  Eliminates the requirement of filing campaign finance
disclosure reports with an election authority if the reports have
been filed electronically with the commission and the candidate
has filed a declaration that electronic filing will be used
exclusively (Section 130.041);

(9)  Reorganizes various sections regarding reporting
requirements for out-of-state committees and candidates nominated
by political party committees (Sections 130.049 and 130.050);

(10)  Changes from $15,000 to $5,000 the amount of contributions
which triggers the requirement for continuing committees to file
electronic reports and extends the requirement to political party
committees and campaign committees (Section 130.057);

(11)  Moves a section regarding nomination of candidates from
Section 130.050 to Section 130.062 (Section 130.062);

(12)  Removes the requirement that municipal lobbyists in Kansas
City register with the city clerk (Section 105.971); and

(13)  Removes the requirement that the commission print and make
available a summary of all laws for which they have enforcement
powers (Section 105.973).

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Income on General Revenue Fund of $10,000
in FY 2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008.  No impact on Other State Funds
in FY 2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill streamlines and updates
current laws regarding ethics and campaign contribution
disclosures and eliminates the requirement that municipal
lobbyists in Kansas City register with the city clerk since it is
not enforced.

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

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Kristina Jenkins, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:19 pm