The Missouri House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to pass restrictions on lobbyist gifts on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

The proposal would ban lobbyist expenditures on individuals, with the exception of customary gifts such as flowers and other plants, and events where all members of the Legislature are invited.

House Bill 1303 has been referred to the Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions, and Ethics Committee.

Voters in Kansas City approved a ballot measure on a $1 billion airport project to build a new privately financed airport in the city. The fate of the current 45-year-old airport has been a question for years as the city debated whether to renovate or demolish.

Supporters of the new project said the airport had outlived its usefulness and presented the city in a poor light to travelers. The ballot measure was approved by a 3-to-1 margin.

In St. Louis, voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase for police and fire funding. St. Louis County recently approved similar funding and City officials persuaded voters the tax increase was necessary to have competitive wages.

Voters in Kansas City approved a ballot measure on a $1 billion airport project to build a new privately financed airport in the city. The fate of the current 45-year-old airport has been a question for years as the city debated whether to renovate or demolish.

Supporters of the new project said the airport had outlived its usefulness and presented the city in a poor light to travelers. The ballot measure was approved by a 3-to-1 margin.

In St. Louis, voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase for police and fire funding. St. Louis County recently approved similar funding and City officials persuaded voters the tax increase was necessary to have competitive wages.

Gov. Eric Greitens recently issued writs of election for House Districts 97, 129, and 144.

State Rep. John McCaherty resigned unexpectedly last month from District 97 to focus on running for Jefferson county executive.

Sandy Crawford’s District 129 seat was left vacant following her election to Lt. Gov. Mike Parson’s former seat in the Missouri Senate.

Paul Fitzwater resigned his seat in the 144^th District to accept an appointment to the state Board of Probation and Parole.

The elections will be held February 6, 2018.

The Missouri Ethics Commission recently issued an advisory opinion clarifying campaign finance rules for corporations seeking to contribute to PACs.

Currently, a corporation may not contribute its own funds to its connected PAC, but it may contribute direct corporate funds to an unconnected PAC. The new opinion provides additional guidance on whether a corporation and a PAC are considered connected for the purpose of campaign finance law.

If contributions to a PAC are from a corporation’s general treasury, and not from the corporation’s officers, employees, or spouses thereof, it is possible the PAC is not connected to the organization. In such a scenario, if the corporation does not expend funds or provide services or facilities to administer or maintain the PAC, and it does not expend funds or provide services to solicit contributions to the PAC from its members, officers, directors, employees, or security holders, it is not a connected organization. This is true even when the PAC is funded 100 percent by a corporation’s general treasury funds.

Moreover, assuming the corporation did not establish the PAC and does not serve as a connected organization, it may make unlimited monetary contributions from the corporate treasury.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has called a special legislative session to consider new abortion regulations.

The extraordinary session is slated to begin Monday, June 12, just one week after the Legislature adjourned its first extraordinary session.

Lawmakers will consider stricter regulations on abortion clinics as well as attempt to nullify a St. Louis ordinance banning employers and landlords from discriminating against women who have had an abortion.

The Missouri Ethics Commission recently issued a campaign finance advisory opinion differentiating between political parties and political party committees for the application and enforcement of voter approved contribution limits.

The $25,000 aggregate limit on contributions to a political party does not apply to contributions to a political party committee unless the committee is, by definition, organized to influence voters on behalf of the affiliated political party.

The aggregate limit will, therefore, not apply to the state House and state Senate committees for each political party because, while they have historically served such a purpose, they do not actually indicate they are acting on behalf of a political party; rather, it is possible they could choose to support or oppose non-party candidates or even ballot issues.

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.