Missouri lawmakers will return to work today as the General Assembly convenes a special legislative session.

Following the May 12 adjournment of the regular session, Gov. Eric Greitens hinted a special session was imminent and called for the session just two weeks later. The special session will focus on bringing jobs and an economic boost to the state.

Lawmakers will consider legislation to attract a steel plant and an aluminum smelter to locate there in exchange for lower utility rates.

The session has no target end date and is expected to cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars per week.

Parts of a campaign finance law approved by Missouri voters in November have been ruled unconstitutional.

U.S. District Court Senior Judge Ortrie Smith issued a ruling Friday finding corporations and labor organizations must be permitted to make contributions to campaign committees only supporting or opposing ballot measures, and political action committees must be able to receive contributions from other political action committees.

The court also ruled the ban on contributions to PACs by heavily regulated entities unconstitutional.

Finally, the ruling permanently enjoins the Missouri Ethics Commission from interpreting certain campaign finance provisions in any manner inconsistent with previously issued advisory opinions. Contribution limits will continue to apply only to contributions to candidates unless a contribution to a continuing committee or PAC is restricted or designated for a specific candidate.

The court stayed any injunctive relief ordered for 45 days to allow the state to review the ruling and to allow for an opportunity to appeal.

Missouri House Democrats have introduced a bill to require future governors to publicly disclose donations for gubernatorial inauguration activities.

Lawmakers hope to eliminate the appearance of corruption by allowing Missourians to see how much money corporations and lobbyists donate to fund inaugural events.

Recently, Gov. Eric Greitens issued a list of benefactors who contributed to his inaugural celebration but refused to confirm how much was contributed by each donor and how much money was actually spent.

He formed a nonprofit to raise money for the inauguration and the contributions, therefore, were not subject to state campaign finance laws.

The Missouri Ethics Commission recently released a series of advisory opinions related to Constitutional Amendment 2. The amendment, passed by the voters in the November election, amended state campaign finance laws.

The new advisory opinions address issues not fully articulated in the constitutional amendment. Opinions confirm: contribution limits do not apply to local candidates; the definitions of continuing and political action committees are substantially the same and are interpreted to be the same; and contribution limits only apply to continuing or political action committees if a contribution to the committee is designated for a specific candidate.

Another opinion finds a limited liability company to be a corporation for the purpose of the corporate contribution ban if the LLC is an eligible entity electing to be classified as a corporation under the federal tax code.

Other opinions relate to the eligibility of foreign corporations contributing to Missouri PACs, the application of the $25,000 per election aggregate limit to be received by a political party, and the applicability of contribution limits to state legislative campaign committees.

Special elections have been scheduled for Missouri House District 50 and Senate District 28.

Both elections are scheduled for August 8, 2017. The House seat was left vacant when Rep. Caleb Jones stepped down to take a position in Gov. Eric Greitens’ administration.

Senator Mike Parson vacated his Senate seat on January 9 after becoming lieutenant governor.

On January 20, Gov. Jay Nixon announced the special election in House District 50 has been scheduled for August 8, 2017.

House District 50 includes sections of Boone Cole County and parts of Moniteau County.

A special election has yet to be scheduled for the Senate District 28 seat, which was recently vacated by Lt. Gov. Mike Parson.

Ethics reform legislation passed the Missouri House Tuesday afternoon with wide bipartisan support.

House Bill 60 would prohibit lobbyists and lobbyist principals from making expenditures for state public officials or for their staff, spouses, or dependent children.

An exception would remain for event expenditures if all members of the Legislature or all statewide officials are invited in writing. For clarity, the bill would subsequently remove any unnecessary lobbyist reporting requirements.

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

A Missouri ethics bill, being fast-tracked through the House, cleared committee yesterday with just three dissenting votes.

The bill would prohibit legislators from receiving certain gifts from lobbyists. Exemptions to the proposed ban would include honorary plaques, flowers and gifts customarily received by someone before they became a legislator.

The bill is just one of a handful of ethics bills on the legislative agenda. The measure could hit the House floor as early as Thursday.

Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley implemented a new ethics policy on Tuesday, January 10. His employees are now prohibited from accepting gifts from lobbyists.

The policy also prohibits staff from discussing business of the attorney general’s office with anyone attempting to lobby on behalf of a client, unless such person is a registered lobbyist. This includes licensed attorneys who fall within the scope of state lobbying law.

Hawley’s policy also establishes a pay-to-play provision prohibiting campaign contributions from those who have applied for or who have pending state contracts if the attorney general’s office has decision-making authority over the contract. Hawley’s ethics policy is effective immediately.

Almost immediately upon being sworn in as Missouri governor, Eric Greitens issued an executive order banning lobbyist gifts to executive branch employees.

The order also establishes a revolving door provision, prohibiting gubernatorial staff from lobbying his office after leaving their positions.

At the Capitol, Republican lawmakers held a meeting yesterday to endorse a bill to expand the executive order by banning most lobbyist gifts to legislators. The actions are part of an effort to reform state ethics laws and curb government corruption.

Caleb Jones (R) will leave the state House District 50 seat vacant when he joins Governor-elect Eric Greitens (R) as the new Deputy Chief of Staff starting January 9.

Ashland Republican Party State Committeewoman Sara Walsh (R) announced her candidacy for the position this week. Until the special election to replace Jones, an office in the capitol dedicated to constituent services for members of his district will remain active.

Constitutional Amendment 2, a reform measure approved in November, is facing a second legal challenge in federal court from plaintiffs who claim the amendment unconstitutionally restricts free speech and association.

The suit was filed by Farmers State Bank and Herzog Services, with additional plaintiffs including the American Democracy Alliance, Missourians for Worker Freedom, Freedom PAC, the Free and Fair Election Fund, and John Elliott, a citizen. Plaintiffs contend the amendment’s contribution restrictions impermissibly prohibit corporate (including nonprofit) contributions in ballot measure and judicial retention campaigns.

A separate suit was filed by the Association of Missouri Electrical Cooperatives earlier in December.

The Association of Missouri Electrical Cooperatives filed suit Wednesday morning in federal district court challenging changes to campaign finance laws that became effective December 8.

Voters approved the changes via a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Among other things, the amendment establishes contribution limits for individuals and entities supporting statewide and judicial candidates, as well as prohibits certain corporate and labor union contributions.

The Association of Missouri Electrical Cooperatives unsuccessfully attempted to block the statewide referendum prior the November election; an appeals court stopped its lawsuit because it would not consider campaign restrictions not yet in effect. The new suit alleges the campaign finance changes violate free speech rights as they unfairly limit some businesses and associations from participating in political campaigns.

Missouri Rep. Kip Kendrick wants to see his seven-point ethics reform proposal introduced in the House.

The proposal bans gifts from lobbyists, amends the state’s revolving door policy for legislators seeking to become lobbyists, imposes term limits for statewide officeholders, prohibits the giving or solicitation of political contributions during a legislative session, prohibits someone no longer seeking office from maintaining a candidate committee, restricts the use of campaign funds, and broadens the Missouri Ethics Commission’s enforcement authority.

Each part of the proposal will be pre-filed as a separate bill. He is working to find seven House Democrats to pre-file the bills.