Three more ethics bills have been approved by a Missouri House committee. One would ban individual gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers, the second would revise rules for investing campaign funds, and the third would expand the definition of public official to include members of a task force appointed by the governor.
That last bill is sponsored by Republican Jay Barnes of Jefferson City:
“When the governor creates a task force that’s going to make big policy recommendations, in many cases, that is a bigger role than even a position on a board or commission would be," Barnes said.
The bill is a direct response to the task force appointed by Governor Jay Nixon last year that recommended a new stadium be built and partially funded with state dollars to try to keep the Rams from leaving St. Louis.
The three ethics bills have another committee stop before going to the full Missouri House for floor debate.
