- Introduced -

SB 1035 - This Act revises a number of provisions relating to lobbyists, the Missouri Ethics Commission and campaign finance disclosure.

Lobbyists shall no longer be required to include expenditure categories for printing and publication expenses, media and other advertising expenses, and honoraria on their monthly reports (Section 105.473).

Lobbyist expenditure reports shall not include any payment to public officials, their families or staff if it is compensation for employment in addition to employment as a public official (Section 105.473). The act repeals the law making lobbyist requirements inapplicable to union members not acting as lobbyists for the union (Section 105.475).

After a finding of probable cause, the Ethics Commission may settle certain non-criminal complaint cases without a hearing for a fee of not more than $1,000. Currently, after a finding of probable cause, the Commission must hold a hearing (Section 105.961).

The act changes the amount from $250 to $275 that an individual may contribute to a candidate or committee before certain disclosure laws apply (Sections 130.011 and 130.016). A committee or candidate may file its statement of organization within 30 days of the election (Section 130.021).

Current law provides that a continuing committee must file required disclosure reports no later than the seventh day before an election. This act changes the filing date to no later than the eighth day before an election. When no disclosure reports are required, a committee treasurer must file a statement indicating that the committee has no exceeded thresholds for that reporting period (Section 130.046).

As a technical matter, the act moves the provisions regarding nominee compliance and late fees from Section 130.050, RSMo, to Sections 130.062 and 130.063. The act also moves provisions related to out-of-state committee contribution or expenditure reports from Section 130.050 to Section 130.049.

Any fees collected for the late filing of campaign disclosure reports must be deposited to the credit of the county school fund pursuant to Section 166.131, RSMo (Section 130.056).

Current law provides that a person must "purposely" violate the provisions of Chapter 130, RSMo, to be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. This act changes the standard to "knowingly" (Section 130.081).

This act is identical to HB 1326 (2002).

JIM ERTLE