Ten Missouri residents filed suit in early January asking a judge to compel Gov. Jay Nixon to call special elections to fill vacant legislative seats. The governor is granted constitutional authority to do so and is required to issue a writ of election without delay.

Perhaps most problematic are the political ramifications of the Democratic governor’s refusal to act. With the vacancies, House Republicans sit just one vote shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override gubernatorial vetoes.

Plaintiffs contend constituents living in the affected districts are being deprived of a representative voice. Nevertheless, Nixon has yet to definitively set special election dates. If he wants the elections to coincide with the April 8 municipal elections, he needs to issue election proclamations by January 17.

Photo of Gov. Jay Nixon courtesy of Bernard Pollack on Wikimedia Commons.

Missouri legislators made ethics a top priority at the start of their legislative session. The Legislature convened on January 8 and members filed at least 10 bills addressing issues such as lobbyist registration, gifts to public officials, campaign contribution limits, and revolving door provisions.

Although Missouri is one of few states placing no restrictions on campaign donations or lobbyist gifts, reform appears to be of bipartisan concern. Secretary of State Jason Kander announced the most comprehensive approach to ethics reform with HB1340, introduced by Rep. Kevin McManus. The proposal establishes contribution limits, closes the revolving door for legislative officials, and establishes a lobbyist gift ban.

Kander’s proposal is unique in that it also adds mandatory registration requirements for paid political consultants as well as whistle-blower incentives. Those who provide information about ethics violations could receive 10 percent of the fines collected for the violation they revealed.

The Legislature discounted opportunities in the past to address ethics reform. With momentum building, many are hoping this is the year for change.

On December 6, the Missouri General Assembly adjourned its first special session sine die.

The legislative body convened earlier in the week to prepare an aerospace industry incentive bill.

Effective immediately, Senate Bill 1 is designed to encourage growth and expansion of the aerospace industry and serves as an incentive proposal for Boeing to build its new commercial 777X airplane within the state.

Photo of the Missouri State Capitol courtesy of RebelAt on Wikimedia Commons.

Legislators are meeting today, Monday, December 2, 2013, for a special session to consider a package of tax breaks designed to give Boeing a reason to bring thousands of jobs to the state. Gov. Jay Nixon called the special session and asked legislators to approve a $150 million incentive package with extensions of existing economic development programs.

Nixon hopes the package will attract Boeing’s 777X program after a machinists union in Washington State rejected the company’s long-term contract proposal earlier this month.

Prior to the union vote, Washington legislators passed a package of incentives with the largest tax breaks any state had ever offered to a corporation.

Photo of the Missouri Capitol courtesy of RebelAt on Wikimedia Commons.

St. Louis Public Radio and NPR joined together to form a partnership recently. The result was a project aimed at educating the public regarding state lobbying.

Using information gathered from the Missouri Ethics Commission, they created an online database with the names of lobbyists, lawmakers, gifts, and transaction details. Also accessible are easy to understand charts and graphs.

See it all at LobbyingMissouri.org.

The Legislature convenes its annual veto session on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Among the vetoed bills eligible for an override vote are House Bill 110 and Senate Bill 29.

House Bill 110 requires a special election to fill the lieutenant governor’s office if there is an early vacancy due to resignation, death, or impeachment. Senate Bill 29 requires certain public labor unions to obtain annual consent from members before withholding dues and fees from their paychecks for political contributions or expenditures.

Gov. Jay Nixon has declined to call a special session to allow lawmakers to craft a new version of a vetoed income-tax bill. Override votes require a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

Photo of the Missouri State Capitol by RebelAt on Wikipedia.

The Missouri Ethics Commission has announced James Klahr as the new executive director for a six-year term beginning September 13, 2013. Klahr has worked for now-Governor Jay Nixon since 1997, most recently as the administration’s legislative liaison in the Department of Public Safety.

Klahr replaces Julie Allen, who became the elections director for Secretary of State Jason Kander in January. Stacey Heislen will remain on the commission’s staff after serving as acting director.

City Council approved changes to the ethics code setting limits on gifts to city officials and employees on Thursday, May 30, 2013. Ordinance No. 130249 prohibits an official or employee and their immediate families from knowingly accepting any gift having a value in excess of $1,000 from any person or business with a substantial interest in legislative or administrative actions.

Gifts worth more than $200 must be reported quarterly by the city official or employee. Previously, reports were due annually and there was no limit on gifts.

The bill becomes effective in 10 days unless vetoed by the Mayor.

Lawmakers have ended the 2013 legislative session. Although both chambers are scheduled to convene on May 22, 2013, for a technical session, the House marked the conclusion with the traditional and celebratory paper toss on Friday, May 17, 2013.

Several bills aimed at reinstating or expanding the ethics reforms of Senate Bill 844 failed to pass. The major 2010 ethics reforms in Senate Bill 844 were found to be unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court because they were joined to a procurement bill.

Photo of the Missouri State Capitol by RebelAt on Wikipedia.

The Montana Senate and the House both adjourned sine die on April 24, 2013, three days ahead of the Legislature’s scheduled adjournment date.

Governor Steve Bullock, who does not have a pocket veto, has 10 days upon delivery to sign, veto, or recommend amendments to bills.

The Legislature, which meets in regular session for 90 working days in every odd-numbered year, will have its next regular session in 2015.

Photo of the Montana State Capitol courtesy of Wikipedia.

This year’s push for ethics reform in several state legislatures could not happen fast enough for some elected officials. Georgia’s Senate and Missouri’s Secretary of State, Jason Kander, decided on day one to take matters into their own hands by adopting new gift rules for their respective offices.

The Georgia Senate imposed a $100 limit on gifts from lobbyists. Senators approved the gift cap on the opening day of the 2013 General Assembly session as part of new rules governing the chamber’s operations for the current two-year term. The new rule does not apply to travel costs or to gifts provided to groups of senators, including committees. The rule does allow lobbyists to give $100 gifts on multiple occasions. Meanwhile, House Speaker David Ralston has unveiled an ethics reform bill aimed at expanding the definition of a lobbyist and restricting lobbyist gifts. House Bill 142 would ban even the smallest expenditure of a lobbyist if for the benefit of a single member of the General Assembly. Lobbyists would still be permitted to spend on committees, caucuses, and expenses to public officers for trips to conferences and meetings.

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, sworn in on January 14, 2013, announced a new ethics policy as part of his “Day 1 Achievements.” The new policy prohibits the staff in his office from accepting gifts from lobbyists. State administrative policy already curtails what state employees may accept from lobbyists, but agencies are free to adopt stricter guidelines. Additionally, Missouri’s House and Senate are both considering bills to curb lobbyist spending. House Bill 139 would prohibit General Assembly members, family, and staff from accepting more than $1,000 per calendar year from lobbyists. Senate Bill 181 would prohibit statewide elected officials, legislators, staff, employees, and family from accepting gifts over $50 from a lobbyist.

Governor Jay Nixon is set to announce June 4, 2013 as the date of a special election to fill Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District. Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson submitted a letter of resignation to become president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

The Eighth District will not have voting representation in the House until June due to state law and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. The MOVE Act requires local election authorities to begin transmitting ballots to military and overseas voters 45 days before a general, primary, or special election for federal office.

State law allows independent candidates to file for special elections up to the midway point between when an election is called and when it is actually held. Republican and Democratic party committees will nominate their candidates for the special election.

Governor Jay Nixon has set April 2 as the date for a special election to fill the vacant seat in House District 157.

The seat became vacant after State Representative Don Ruzicka was appointed to serve on the Board of Probation and Parole.

The governor has also issued an April 2 writ of election for House District 76.

Photo of Governor Nixon by Bernard Pollack on Wikipedia.

Secretary of State Jason Kander, sworn in on January 14, 2013, has adopted a new ethics policy barring the staff in his office from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

Kander’s stated purpose was to give the public confidence that the office is being run in a nonpartisan and fair way.

State administrative policy already curtails what state employees may accept from lobbyists, but agencies are free to adopt stricter guidelines.