HB 1499 -- ETHICS

SPONSOR:  May

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elections
by a vote of 11 to 0.

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

(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 twice a
year 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 (Sections 105.487 and
105.489);

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

(4)  Changes the body to which individuals may appeal commission
actions from the Administrative Hearing Commission to the circuit
court of Cole County (Section 105.961);

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

(6)  Removes the requirement that the commission print and make
available a summary of all laws for which it has enforcement
powers (Section 105.973);

(7)  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);

(8)  Allows candidates or committees who file with the local
election authorities to omit the name and number of bank accounts
(Section 130.021);

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

(10)  Removes the requirement that a candidate must file 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);

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

(12)  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); and

(13)  Moves a section regarding the nomination of candidates from
Section 130.050 to Section 130.062 (Section 130.062).

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Income on General Revenue Fund of $10,000
in FY 2007, FY 2008, and FY 2009.  No impact on Other State Funds
in FY 2007, FY 2008, and FY 2009.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will make many
beneficial changes to the election laws.  The provisions which
brought about a veto by the Governor on a similar bill last
session have been removed.

Testifying for the bill was Representative May.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Jason Glahn, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:43 am