Is There Any Chance For Real Ethics Reform Next Year?

 I've been wondering a bit in recent days what sort of ethics legislation might develop in the coming months in response to stories like those in last week's Star. Based on the obvious reluctance from legislative leaders to move any meaningful measures, it's hard to be overly optimistic. Steve Kraske expressed similar sentiments in his most recent column, quoting Rep. Brian Yates (R-Lee's Summit), who's unsuccessfully tried to convince his own party's leaders to move on some basic reforms in recent legislative sessions.

That said, I was encouraged to see a tweet from Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City) on Friday, in which he said he'd "had some very encouraging discussions with Republican colleagues" about the ethics reform proposals he first distributed in early September.

The Turner Report posted details of Kander's September 9 Dear Colleague memo last week, which can be distilled down to a few new ideas and a few oldies but goodies. 

New proposals to filed in the 2010 session:

1. Allow only candidate committees to receive donations from other committees.
2. Create a felony offense for those who transfer funds through political committees with the intent to mask the original source of money.
3. Require all committees to file electronically and be subject to online searching. 
4. Clarify existing law so that "pay to play" prohibitions include the exchange of campaign contributions for legislative actions.
5. Require all official staff also involved in political activities to file personal financial disclosures.
6. Outlaw the use of campaign committee funds for the payment of private business expenses
7. Create a "de-facto lobbyist" category for consultants who are not currently covered by state lobbying disclosure laws and require registration.
8. Create the felony of "obstructing a Missouri Ethics Commission investigation."
9. Prohibit individuals from serving as the treasurer or deputy treasurer of multiple committees.

Previous proposals he suggests the legislature revisit:

1. End lobbyist gifts.
2. Reinstate campaign finance limits.
3. Apply the Sunshine law to all government officials, including members of the General Assembly.

As we saw in April with a very close vote on the proposal from Rep. Jake Zimmerman (D-Olivette) to open legislators' offices up  to the state's Sunshine law, it only takes a few individuals to break from with their leadership to make things happen.  Hopefully, a bipartisan coalition will emerge to reduce the influence of power brokers and special interests, and begin restoring the public's trust. 

Ethics reform memo from Rep. Jason Kander, sent 9/9/09