Bill Text: MO HB432 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Changes the laws regarding ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-24 - Referred: General Laws (H) [HB432 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2011-HB432-Introduced.html
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES KANDER (Sponsor), SHIVELY, LAMPE, STILL, QUINN, AULL, HARRIS, ANDERS, CARLSON, SMITH (71), HUMMEL, BLACK, TAYLOR, PACE, KIRKTON, SCHIEFFER, SCHUPP, AND WEBBER, (Co-sponsors).
0514L.02I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 105.456, 105.483, 105.485, 130.031, and 575.021, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof five new sections relating to ethics, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 105.456, 105.483, 105.485, 130.031, and 575.021, RSMo, are repealed and five new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 105.456, 105.483, 105.485, 130.031, and 575.021, to read as follows:
105.456. 1. No member of the general assembly or the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, or state auditor shall:
(1) Perform any service for the state or any political subdivision of the state or any agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof or act in his or her official capacity or perform duties associated with his or her position for any person for any consideration other than the compensation provided for the performance of his or her official duties; [or]
(2) Sell, rent or lease any property to the state or political subdivision thereof or any agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof for consideration in excess of five hundred dollars per transaction or one thousand five hundred dollars per annum unless the transaction is made pursuant to an award on a contract let or sale made after public notice and in the case of property other than real property, competitive bidding, provided that the bid or offer accepted is the lowest received; [or]
(3) Attempt, for compensation other than the compensation provided for the performance of his or her official duties, to influence the decision of any agency of the state on any matter, except that this provision shall not be construed to prohibit such person from participating for compensation in any adversary proceeding or in the preparation or filing of any public document or conference thereon. The exception for a conference upon a public document shall not permit any member of the general assembly or the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer or state auditor to receive any consideration for the purpose of attempting to influence the decision of any agency of the state on behalf of any person with regard to any application, bid or request for a state grant, loan, appropriation, contract, award, permit other than matters involving a driver's license, or job before any state agency, commission, or elected official. Notwithstanding Missouri supreme court rule 1.10 of rule 4 or any other court rule or law to the contrary, other members of a firm, professional corporation or partnership shall not be prohibited pursuant to this subdivision from representing a person or other entity solely because a member of the firm, professional corporation or partnership serves in the general assembly, provided that such official does not share directly in the compensation earned, so far as the same may reasonably be accounted, for such activity by the firm or by any other member of the firm. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit any inquiry for information or the representation of a person without consideration before a state agency or in a matter involving the state if no consideration is given, charged or promised in consequence thereof;
(4) Solicit any position, whether compensated or not, while such person holds office;
(5) Register or act as a lobbyist within the two-year period after leaving office.
2. No sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, or corporation in which a member of the general assembly, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor or spouse of such official is the sole proprietor, a partner having more than a ten percent partnership interest, or a coparticipant or owner of in excess of ten percent of the outstanding shares of any class of stock, shall:
(1) Perform any service for the state or any political subdivision thereof or any agency of the state or political subdivision for any consideration in excess of five hundred dollars per transaction or one thousand five hundred dollars per annum unless the transaction is made pursuant to an award on a contract let or sale made after public notice and competitive bidding, provided that the bid or offer accepted is the lowest received; or
(2) Sell, rent, or lease any property to the state or any political subdivision thereof or any agency of the state or political subdivision thereof for consideration in excess of five hundred dollars per transaction or one thousand five hundred dollars per annum unless the transaction is made pursuant to an award on a contract let or a sale made after public notice and in the case of property other than real property, competitive bidding, provided that the bid or offer accepted is the lowest and best received.
3. No statewide elected official, member of the general assembly, or any person acting on behalf of such official or member shall expressly and explicitly make any offer or promise to confer any paid employment, where the individual is compensated above actual and necessary expenses, to any statewide elected official or member of the general assembly in exchange for the official's or member's official vote on any public matter. Any person making such offer or promise is guilty of the crime of bribery of a public servant under section 576.010.
4. Any statewide elected official or member of the general assembly who accepts or agrees to accept an offer described in subsection 3 of this section is guilty of the crime of acceding to corruption under section 576.020.
105.483. 1. Each of the following persons shall be required to file a financial interest statement:
(1) Associate circuit judges, circuit court judges, judges of the courts of appeals and of the supreme court, and candidates for any such office;
(2) Persons holding an elective office of the state, whether by election or appointment, and candidates for such elective office, except those running for or serving as county committee members for a political party pursuant to section 115.609 or section 115.611;
(3) The principal administrative or deputy officers or assistants serving the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor and attorney general, which officers shall be designated by the respective elected state official;
(4) The members of each board or commission and the chief executive officer of each public entity created pursuant to the constitution or interstate compact or agreement and the members of each board of regents or curators and the chancellor or president of each state institution of higher education;
(5) The director and each assistant deputy director and the general counsel and the chief purchasing officer of each department, division and agency of state government;
(6) Any official or employee of the state authorized by law to promulgate rules and regulations or authorized by law to vote on the adoption of rules and regulations;
(7) Any member of a board or commission created by interstate compact or agreement, including the executive director and any Missouri resident who is a member of the bi-state development agency created pursuant to sections 70.370 to 70.440;
(8) Any board member of a metropolitan sewer district authorized under section 30(a) of article VI of the state constitution;
(9) Any member of a commission appointed or operating pursuant to sections 64.650 to 64.950, sections 67.650 to 67.658, or sections 70.840 to 70.859;
(10) The members, the chief executive officer and the chief purchasing officer of each board or commission which enters into or approves contracts for the expenditure of state funds;
(11) Each elected official, candidate for elective office, the chief administrative officer, the chief purchasing officer and the general counsel, if employed full time, of each political subdivision with an annual operating budget in excess of one million dollars, and each official or employee of a political subdivision who is authorized by the governing body of the political subdivision to promulgate rules and regulations with the force of law or to vote on the adoption of rules and regulations with the force of law; unless the political subdivision adopts an ordinance, order or resolution pursuant to subsection 4 of section 105.485;
(12) Any person who is designated as a decision-making public servant by any of the officials or entities listed in subdivision (6) of section 105.450;
(13) Any person who is employed by the state or by any elected or appointed official of the state, or by any political subdivision of the state, including cities, towns, villages, counties, and public school districts, and who receives any compensation for political activities or consulting not directly associated with the person's official duties.
2. This section shall apply to all persons listed in this section regardless of whether the person is compensated on a full-time, part-time, or contract basis.
105.485. 1. Each financial interest statement required by sections 105.483 to 105.492 shall be on a form prescribed by the commission and shall be signed and verified by a written declaration that it is made under penalties of perjury; provided, however, the form shall not seek information which is not specifically required by sections 105.483 to 105.492.
2. Each person required to file a financial interest statement pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (12) of section 105.483 shall file the following information for himself, his spouse and dependent children at any time during the period covered by the statement, whether singularly or collectively; provided, however, that said person, if he does not know and his spouse will not divulge any information required to be reported by this section concerning the financial interest of his spouse, shall state on his financial interest statement that he has disclosed that information known to him and that his spouse has refused or failed to provide other information upon his bona fide request, and such statement shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this section for such financial interest of his spouse; and provided further if the spouse of any person required to file a financial interest statement is also required by section 105.483 to file a financial interest statement, the financial interest statement filed by each need not disclose the financial interest of the other, provided that each financial interest statement shall state that the spouse of the person has filed a separate financial interest statement and the name under which the statement was filed:
(1) The name and address of each of the employers of such person from whom income of one thousand dollars or more was received during the year covered by the statement;
(2) The name and address of each sole proprietorship which he owned; the name, address and the general nature of the business conducted of each general partnership and joint venture in which he was a partner or participant; the name and address of each partner or coparticipant for each partnership or joint venture unless such names and addresses are filed by the partnership or joint venture with the secretary of state; the name, address and general nature of the business conducted of any closely held corporation or limited partnership in which the person owned ten percent or more of any class of the outstanding stock or limited partners' units; and the name of any publicly traded corporation or limited partnership which is listed on a regulated stock exchange or automated quotation system in which the person owned two percent or more of any class of outstanding stock, limited partnership units or other equity interests;
(3) The name and address of any other source not reported pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) and subdivisions (4) to (9) of this subsection from which such person received one thousand dollars or more of income during the year covered by the statement, including, but not limited to, any income otherwise required to be reported on any tax return such person is required by law to file; except that only the name of any publicly traded corporation or limited partnership which is listed on a regulated stock exchange or automated quotation system need be reported pursuant to this subdivision;
(4) The location by county, the subclassification for property tax assessment purposes, the approximate size and a description of the major improvements and use for each parcel of real property in the state, other than the individual's personal residence, having a fair market value of ten thousand dollars or more in which such person held a vested interest including a leasehold for a term of ten years or longer, and, if the property was transferred during the year covered by the statement, the name and address of the persons furnishing or receiving consideration for such transfer;
(5) The name and address of each entity in which such person owned stock, bonds or other equity interest with a value in excess of ten thousand dollars; except that, if the entity is a corporation listed on a regulated stock exchange, only the name of the corporation need be listed; and provided that any member of any board or commission of the state or any political subdivision who does not receive any compensation for his services to the state or political subdivision other than reimbursement for his actual expenses or a per diem allowance as prescribed by law for each day of such service need not report interests in publicly traded corporations or limited partnerships which are listed on a regulated stock exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to this subdivision; and provided further that the provisions of this subdivision shall not require reporting of any interest in any qualified plan or annuity pursuant to the Employees' Retirement Income Security Act;
(6) The name and address of each corporation for which such person served in the capacity of a director, officer [or] , receiver, trustee, partner, proprietor, representative, employee, or consultant;
(7) The name and address of each not-for-profit corporation and each association, organization, or union, whether incorporated or not, except not-for-profit corporations formed to provide church services, fraternal organizations or service clubs from which the officer or employee draws no remuneration, in which such person was an officer, director, employee [or] , trustee, partner, proprietor, representative, or consultant at any time during the year covered by the statement, and for each such organization, a general description of the nature and purpose of the organization;
(8) The name and address of each source from which such person received a gift or gifts, or honorarium or honoraria in excess of two hundred dollars in value per source during the year covered by the statement other than gifts from persons within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity of the person filing the financial interest statement, and the source, date, and amount of payments made to charitable organizations in lieu of honoraria. For the purposes of this section, a "gift" shall not be construed to mean political contributions otherwise required to be reported by law or hospitality such as food, beverages or admissions to social, art, or sporting events or the like, or informational material. For the purposes of this section, a "gift" shall include gifts to or by creditors of the individual for the purpose of canceling, reducing or otherwise forgiving the indebtedness of the individual to that creditor;
(9) The lodging and travel expenses provided by any third person for expenses incurred outside the state of Missouri whether by gift or in relation to the duties of office of such official, except that such statement shall not include travel or lodging expenses:
(a) Paid in the ordinary course of business for businesses described in subdivisions (1), (2), (5) and (6) of this subsection which are related to the duties of office of such official; or
(b) For which the official may be reimbursed as provided by law; or
(c) Paid by persons related by the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to the person filing the statement; or
(d) Expenses which are reported by the campaign committee or candidate committee of the person filing the statement pursuant to the provisions of chapter 130; or
(e) Paid for purely personal purposes which are not related to the person's official duties by a third person who is not a lobbyist, a lobbyist principal or member, or officer or director of a member, of any association or entity which employs a lobbyist. The statement shall include the name and address of such person who paid the expenses, the date such expenses were incurred, the amount incurred, the location of the travel and lodging, and the nature of the services rendered or reason for the expenses;
(10) The assets in any revocable trust of which the individual is the settlor if such assets would otherwise be required to be reported under this section;
(11) The name, position and relationship of any relative within the first degree of consanguinity or affinity to any other person who:
(a) Is employed by the state of Missouri, by a political subdivision of the state or special district, as defined in section 115.013, of the state of Missouri;
(b) Is a lobbyist; or
(c) Is a fee agent of the department of revenue;
(12) The name and address of each campaign committee, political party committee, candidate committee, or political action committee for which such person or any corporation listed on such person's financial interest statement received payment; [and]
(13) For members of the general assembly or any statewide elected public official, their spouses, and their dependent children, whether any state tax credits were claimed on the member's, spouse's, or dependent child's most recent state income tax return;
(14) A brief description, the date, and category of value of any purchase, sale, or exchange during the preceding calendar year which exceeds one thousand dollars in real property, other than property used solely as a personal residence of the reporting individual or the individual's spouse, or in stocks, bonds, commodities futures, and other forms of securities. Reporting is not required under this subdivision of any transaction solely by and between the reporting individual, the individual's spouse, or dependent children;
(15) The identity and category of value of the total liabilities owed to any creditor other than a spouse, or a parent, brother, sister, or child of the reporting individual or of the individual's spouse which exceed ten thousand dollars at any time during the preceding calendar year, excluding any mortgage secured by real property that is a personal residence of the reporting individual or the individual's spouse, any loan secured by a personal motor vehicle, household furniture, or appliances, which loan does not exceed the purchase price of the item which secures it. With respect to revolving charge accounts, only those with an outstanding liability that exceeds ten thousand dollars as of the close of the preceding calendar year shall be reported under this subdivision;
(16) A description of the date, parties to, and terms of any agreement or arrangement with respect to future employment, a leave of absence during the period of the reporting individual's government service, continuation of payments by a former employer other than this state, and continuing participation in an employee welfare or benefit plan maintained by a former employer.
3. For the purposes of subdivisions (1), (2) and (3) of subsection 2 of this section, an individual shall be deemed to have received a salary from his employer or income from any source at the time when he shall receive a negotiable instrument whether or not payable at a later date and at the time when under the practice of his employer or the terms of an agreement he has earned or is entitled to anything of actual value whether or not delivery of the value is deferred or right to it has vested. The term income as used in this section shall have the same meaning as provided in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and amendments thereto, as the same may be or becomes effective, at any time or from time to time for the taxable year, provided that income shall not be considered received or earned for purposes of this section from a partnership or sole proprietorship until such income is converted from business to personal use.
4. Each official, officer or employee or candidate of any political subdivision described in subdivision (11) of section 105.483 shall be required to file a financial interest statement as required by subsection 2 of this section, unless the political subdivision biennially adopts an ordinance, order or resolution at an open meeting by September fifteenth of the preceding year, which establishes and makes public its own method of disclosing potential conflicts of interest and substantial interests and therefore excludes the political subdivision or district and its officers and employees from the requirements of subsection 2 of this section. A certified copy of the ordinance, order or resolution shall be sent to the commission within ten days of its adoption. The commission shall assist any political subdivision in developing forms to complete the requirements of this subsection. The ordinance, order or resolution shall contain, at a minimum, the following requirements with respect to disclosure of substantial interests:
(1) Disclosure in writing of the following described transactions, if any such transactions were engaged in during the calendar year:
(a) For such person, and all persons within the first degree of consanguinity or affinity of such person, the date and the identities of the parties to each transaction with a total value in excess of five hundred dollars, if any, that such person had with the political subdivision, other than compensation received as an employee or payment of any tax, fee or penalty due to the political subdivision, and other than transfers for no consideration to the political subdivision;
(b) The date and the identities of the parties to each transaction known to the person with a total value in excess of five hundred dollars, if any, that any business entity in which such person had a substantial interest, had with the political subdivision, other than payment of any tax, fee or penalty due to the political subdivision or transactions involving payment for providing utility service to the political subdivision, and other than transfers for no consideration to the political subdivision;
(2) The chief administrative officer and chief purchasing officer of such political subdivision shall disclose in writing the information described in subdivisions (1), (2) and (6) of subsection 2 of this section;
(3) Disclosure of such other financial interests applicable to officials, officers and employees of the political subdivision, as may be required by the ordinance or resolution;
(4) Duplicate disclosure reports made pursuant to this subsection shall be filed with the commission and the governing body of the political subdivision. The clerk of such governing body shall maintain such disclosure reports available for public inspection and copying during normal business hours.
130.031. 1. No contribution of cash in an amount of more than one hundred dollars shall be made by or accepted from any single contributor for any election by a political action committee, a campaign committee, a political party committee, an exploratory committee or a candidate committee.
2. Except for expenditures from a petty cash fund which is established and maintained by withdrawals of funds from the committee's depository account and with records maintained pursuant to the record-keeping requirements of section 130.036 to account for expenditures made from petty cash, each expenditure of more than fifty dollars, except an in-kind expenditure, shall be made by check drawn on the committee's depository and signed by the committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate. A single expenditure from a petty cash fund shall not exceed fifty dollars, and the aggregate of all expenditures from a petty cash fund during a calendar year shall not exceed the lesser of five thousand dollars or ten percent of all expenditures made by the committee during that calendar year. A check made payable to "cash" shall not be made except to replenish a petty cash fund.
3. No contribution shall be made or accepted and no expenditure shall be made or incurred, directly or indirectly, in a fictitious name, in the name of another person, or by or through another person in such a manner as to conceal the identity of the actual source of the contribution or the actual recipient and purpose of the expenditure. Any person who receives contributions for a committee shall disclose to that committee's treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate the recipient's own name and address and the name and address of the actual source of each contribution such person has received for that committee. Any person who makes expenditures for a committee shall disclose to that committee's treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate such person's own name and address, the name and address of each person to whom an expenditure has been made and the amount and purpose of the expenditures the person has made for that committee.
4. No anonymous contribution of more than twenty-five dollars shall be made by any person, and no anonymous contribution of more than twenty-five dollars shall be accepted by any candidate or committee. If any anonymous contribution of more than twenty-five dollars is received, it shall be returned immediately to the contributor, if the contributor's identity can be ascertained, and if the contributor's identity cannot be ascertained, the candidate, committee treasurer or deputy treasurer shall immediately transmit that portion of the contribution which exceeds twenty-five dollars to the state treasurer and it shall escheat to the state.
5. The maximum aggregate amount of anonymous contributions which shall be accepted in any calendar year by any committee shall be the greater of five hundred dollars or one percent of the aggregate amount of all contributions received by that committee in the same calendar year. If any anonymous contribution is received which causes the aggregate total of anonymous contributions to exceed the foregoing limitation, it shall be returned immediately to the contributor, if the contributor's identity can be ascertained, and, if the contributor's identity cannot be ascertained, the committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate shall immediately transmit the anonymous contribution to the state treasurer to escheat to the state.
6. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 5 of this section, contributions from individuals whose names and addresses cannot be ascertained which are received from a fund-raising activity or event, such as defined in section 130.011, shall not be deemed anonymous contributions, provided the following conditions are met:
(1) There are twenty-five or more contributing participants in the activity or event;
(2) The candidate, committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or the person responsible for conducting the activity or event makes an announcement that it is illegal for anyone to make or receive a contribution in excess of one hundred dollars unless the contribution is accompanied by the name and address of the contributor;
(3) The person responsible for conducting the activity or event does not knowingly accept payment from any single person of more than one hundred dollars unless the name and address of the person making such payment is obtained and recorded pursuant to the record-keeping requirements of section 130.036;
(4) A statement describing the event shall be prepared by the candidate or the treasurer of the committee for whom the funds were raised or by the person responsible for conducting the activity or event and attached to the disclosure report of contributions and expenditures required by section 130.041. The following information to be listed in the statement is in addition to, not in lieu of, the requirements elsewhere in this chapter relating to the recording and reporting of contributions and expenditures:
(a) The name and mailing address of the person or persons responsible for conducting the event or activity and the name and address of the candidate or committee for whom the funds were raised;
(b) The date on which the event occurred;
(c) The name and address of the location where the event occurred and the approximate number of participants in the event;
(d) A brief description of the type of event and the fund-raising methods used;
(e) The gross receipts from the event and a listing of the expenditures incident to the event;
(f) The total dollar amount of contributions received from the event from participants whose names and addresses were not obtained with such contributions and an explanation of why it was not possible to obtain the names and addresses of such participants;
(g) The total dollar amount of contributions received from contributing participants in the event who are identified by name and address in the records required to be maintained pursuant to section 130.036.
7. No candidate or committee in this state shall accept contributions from any out-of-state committee unless the out-of-state committee from whom the contributions are received has filed a statement of organization pursuant to section 130.021 or has filed the reports required by sections 130.049 and 130.050, whichever is applicable to that committee.
8. Any person publishing, circulating, or distributing any printed matter relative to any candidate for public office or any ballot measure shall on the face of the printed matter identify in a clear and conspicuous manner the person who paid for the printed matter with the words "Paid for by" followed by the proper identification of the sponsor pursuant to this section. For the purposes of this section, "printed matter" shall be defined to include any pamphlet, circular, handbill, sample ballot, advertisement, including advertisements in any newspaper or other periodical, sign, including signs for display on motor vehicles, or other imprinted or lettered material; but "printed matter" is defined to exclude materials printed and purchased prior to May 20, 1982, if the candidate or committee can document that delivery took place prior to May 20, 1982; any sign personally printed and constructed by an individual without compensation from any other person and displayed at that individual's place of residence or on that individual's personal motor vehicle; any items of personal use given away or sold, such as campaign buttons, pins, pens, pencils, book matches, campaign jewelry, or clothing, which is paid for by a candidate or committee which supports a candidate or supports or opposes a ballot measure and which is obvious in its identification with a specific candidate or committee and is reported as required by this chapter; and any news story, commentary, or editorial printed by a regularly published newspaper or other periodical without charge to a candidate, committee or any other person.
(1) In regard to any printed matter paid for by a candidate from the candidate's personal funds, it shall be sufficient identification to print the first and last name by which the candidate is known.
(2) In regard to any printed matter paid for by a committee, it shall be sufficient identification to print the name of the committee as required to be registered by subsection 5 of section 130.021 and the name and title of the committee treasurer who was serving when the printed matter was paid for.
(3) In regard to any printed matter paid for by a corporation or other business entity, labor organization, or any other organization not defined to be a committee by subdivision (9) of section 130.011 and not organized especially for influencing one or more elections, it shall be sufficient identification to print the name of the entity, the name of the principal officer of the entity, by whatever title known, and the mailing address of the entity, or if the entity has no mailing address, the mailing address of the principal officer.
(4) In regard to any printed matter paid for by an individual or individuals, it shall be sufficient identification to print the name of the individual or individuals and the respective mailing address or addresses, except that if more than five individuals join in paying for printed matter it shall be sufficient identification to print the words "For a list of other sponsors contact:" followed by the name and address of one such individual responsible for causing the matter to be printed, and the individual identified shall maintain a record of the names and amounts paid by other individuals and shall make such record available for review upon the request of any person. No person shall accept for publication or printing nor shall such work be completed until the printed matter is properly identified as required by this subsection.
9. Any broadcast station transmitting any matter relative to any candidate for public office or ballot measure as defined by this chapter shall identify the sponsor of such matter as required by federal law.
10. The provisions of subsection 8 or 9 of this section shall not apply to candidates for elective federal office, provided that persons causing matter to be printed or broadcast concerning such candidacies shall comply with the requirements of federal law for identification of the sponsor or sponsors.
11. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person required to be identified as paying for printed matter pursuant to subsection 8 of this section or paying for broadcast matter pursuant to subsection 9 of this section to refuse to provide the information required or to purposely provide false, misleading, or incomplete information.
12. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any committee to offer chances to win prizes or money to persons to encourage such persons to endorse, send election material by mail, deliver election material in person or contact persons at their homes; except that, the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit hiring and paying a campaign staff.
13. Political action committees shall only receive contributions from individuals; unions; federal political action committees; and corporations, associations, and partnerships formed under chapters 347 to 360, and shall be prohibited from receiving contributions from other political action committees, candidate committees, political party committees, campaign committees, exploratory committees, or debt service committees. However, candidate committees, political party committees, campaign committees, exploratory committees, and debt service committees shall be allowed to return contributions to a donor political action committee that is the origin of the contribution.
14. The prohibited committee transfers described in subsection 13 of this section shall not apply to the following committees:
(1) The state house committee per political party designated by the respective majority or minority floor leader of the house of representatives or the chair of the state party if the party does not have majority or minority party status;
(2) The state senate committee per political party designated by the respective majority or minority floor leader of the senate or the chair of the state party if the party does not have majority or minority party status.
15. No person shall transfer anything of value to any committee with the intent to conceal, from the ethics commission, the identity of the actual source. Any violation of this subsection shall be punishable as follows:
(1) For the first violation, the ethics commission shall notify such person that the transfer to the committee is prohibited under this section within five days of determining that the transfer is prohibited, and that such person shall notify the committee to which the funds were transferred that the funds must be returned within ten days of such notification. If such funds are not returned within ten days, the ethics commission may impose a fine in an amount not less than the amount of the funds that were transferred in violation of this subsection but not more than three times the amount of the funds transferred in violation of this section;
(2) [For the second violation, the person transferring the funds shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor;
(3)] For the [third] second and subsequent violations, the person transferring the funds shall be guilty of a class D felony.
16. Beginning January 1, 2011, all committees required to file campaign financial disclosure reports with the Missouri ethics commission shall file any required disclosure report in an electronic format as prescribed by the ethics commission.
17. No committee shall transfer any funds to another committee if the treasurer of the committee receiving the funds is the treasurer for the committee transferring the funds.
18. No campaign committee shall receive any contribution from any organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(4) unless such organization has disclosed to the ethics commission the name and address of each person donating to such organization. In lieu of disclosing such donors to the ethics commission, the organization may provide a list of all donors to the general public on the organization's website.
575.021. 1. A person commits the crime of obstruction of an ethics investigation if such person, for the purpose of obstructing or preventing an ethics investigation, knowingly commits any of the following acts:
(1) Confers or agrees to confer anything of pecuniary benefit to any person in direct exchange for that person's concealing or withholding any information concerning any violation of sections 105.450 to 105.496 and chapter 130;
(2) Accepting or agreeing to accept anything of pecuniary benefit in direct exchange for concealing or withholding any information concerning any violation of sections 105.450 to 105.496 or chapter 130;
(3) Utters or submits a false statement that the person does not believe to be true to any member or employee of the Missouri ethics commission or to any official investigating any violation of sections 105.450 to 105.496 or chapter 130; or
(4) Submits any writing or other documentation that is inaccurate and that the person does not believe to be true to any member or employee of the Missouri ethics commission or to any official investigating any violation of sections 105.450 to 105.496 or chapter 130.
2. It is a defense to a prosecution under subdivisions (3) and (4) of subsection 1 of this section that the person retracted the false statement, writing, or other documentation, but this defense shall not apply if the retraction was made after:
(1) The falsity of the statement, writing, or other documentation was exposed; or
(2) Any member or employee of the Missouri ethics commission or any official investigating any violation of sections 105.450 to 105.496 or chapter 130 took substantial action in reliance on the statement, writing, or other documentation.
3. The defendant shall have the burden of injecting the issue of retraction under this section.
4. Obstruction of an ethics investigation under this section is a class [A misdemeanor] D felony.
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