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Solon joins in on ethics reform legislation pre-filings

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Rep. Sheila Solon, R-Blue Springs, joined a growing number of legislators in an effort to improve ethics at the Capitol.

Solon
Solon

She pre-filed legislation Tuesday which would ban meals and gifts from lobbyists to legislators, end the so-called “revolving door” from the Capitol into lobbying firms by introducing a two-year cooling off period, and prohibit alcohol and tobacco products in the statehouse.

“These are common sense changes that I’m sure the average Missourian would be stunned to learn are not already in place,” Solon said in a brief statement. “My hope is that we can get strong bipartisan support for these reforms that will help strengthen the people’s trust in their elected officials.”

A few of Solon’s initiatives have been pursued by other legislators during pre-filing. Rep. Tracy McCreery, D-St. Louis, suggested a one-year period between the time a legislator could work as a lobbyist, as well as adding a slew of other reforms. Rep. Justin Alferman, R-Hermann, bans gifts from lobbyists in his reforms, and other legislators, such as Rep. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, have offered their own pieces of legislation to combat ethics violations as well.

However, Solon is the first to suggest a prohibition of alcohol and tobacco in the Capitol.

Gov. Jay Nixon said Tuesday that some of these reforms did not go far enough and that he would like to see a limit placed on campaign contributions.