Lobbyist Gift Ban Top Priority for Second Year
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Lobbyist Money Help  

Lobbyist Gift Ban Top Priority for Second Year

Date: January 4, 2017
By: Jack Morrisroe
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 2166

Intro: 
A lobbyist gift ban is again a top priority of Missouri's Speaker of the House
RunTime: 0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Lawmakers are now allowed to take as much money as a lobbyist will offer, and last year Missouri legislators took in one-hundred and eighty-two thousand dollars in gifts. The gifts range from sports tickets to nearly two-hundred dollar dinners.

House Republicans have the ban as one of their main focuses. In fact, Speaker of the House Todd Richardson said it would be the first bill sent to the Senate. 

Actuality:  SOHETHIC.WAV
Run Time: 00:04
Description: Our priority to do substantive, meaningful ethics reform has not gone away.

The main question is how the Senate will respond. Last session they never brought the bill to a final vote, leaving legislators free to continue taking unlimited lobbyist gifts.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro: 
The proposed lobbyist gift ban would keep tens of thousands of dollars in gifts out of the hands of Missouri legislators
RunTime: 0:39
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Senator Paul Wieland from Jefferson County took in almost five-thousand dollars in lobbyist gifts, ranging from Missouri football tickets to expensive dinners.

Senator Kiki Curls from Jackson County collected over four-thousand five-hundred dollars in gifts to baseball games and other events.

Missouri Speaker of the House Todd Richardson said a lobbyist gift ban will be the first bill to pass to the Senate. The bill follows up last year's revolving door ban which prevents lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists.

Legislators last year took in an average of nine-hundred and thirty dollars in gifts per person.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.