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Release: Senate Advances Ethics Bill Crafted to Curb Corruption

Measure Also Ensures Integrity of Campaign Funds

 

JEFFERSON CITY— The Missouri State Senate advanced an ethics bill this week that will change how campaign funds can be invested and used. House Bill 2203 will also require former public officials to dissolve their candidate campaign committee before they register as a lobbyist.

 

Senate Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said this will help curb corruption of campaign funds.

 

“One way to improve our current political campaign culture is to restrict former lawmakers from being able to shift money from their campaign accounts to fund future lobbyist jobs,” said Richard. “We said we were going to take steps forward to pass meaningful ethics reform this session, and this bill is one of those steps.”

 

Besides requiring former public officials to dissolve their candidate campaign committee before registering as a lobbyist, House Bill 2203 also limits how long campaign funds can be invested and how they can be used. Campaign funds would not be able to be invested in businesses or hedge funds. The bill also restricts former lawmakers from converting campaign funds into personal gains. Former legislators would have to dissolve their campaign funds before registering as lobbyists and would only be able to transfer those funds to a political party committee, return it back to donors, or give it to charity.

 

Majority Floor Leader and bill handler, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, said the Senate will continue to work with the House to make sure reforms move forward.

 

“Our goal here this session has been to tackle ethics one step at a time to make sure we get focused and substantive ethics bills across the finish line, said Kehoe. “I’m optimistic we are still moving in that direction and meaningful ethics reform will make it to the governor’s desk.”

 

The bill will now move to the House for final consideration. To learn more about this bill or to track its progress, visit www.senate.mo.gov.