Opposition stalls Mo. Senate vote to ban gifts from lobbyists

The Missouri Senate postponed a vote on a bill that would criminalize lobbyists giving gifts to legislators.
 
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers argued Feb. 23 the measure approved by the House of Representatives went too far.

The House-approved measure would ban a lobbyist from providing virtually anything of value to an individual legislator or statewide elected official. The only exception for an individual official would be a plaque or similar honor, as long as the value was $50 or less.
 
The only other exception to the House-passed gift-ban would be if the same benefit was provided to the entire legislature or the entire group of statewide elected officials. In other words, a lobbyist could buy a meal for a legislator so long as all the other members of the House and Senate were invited.

A lobbyist who violated the law could be punished by up to seven years in prison, with some exceptions.
 
"If we happen to have someone that comes by our office, unknowingly leaves an ink pen or a sticky pad, if that person is unaware, are they still criminally liable?" asked Sen. Jamilah Nahseed, D- St. Louis City.

Sen. Dave Schatz, R- Franklin County, added he could come up with numerous things along the same lines that could be misinterpreted as lobbyists giving what could be illegal gifts.
 
"I might cut my finger and need a Band-Aid." Schatz said.
 
After three hours, the Senate sponsor put the bill aside, delaying a vote on the measure.

Earlier this year, the Senate removed a House-passed provision in another bill that would prohibit a legislator from becoming a lobbyist for one year after leaving office.
 
Under the Senate version, the only restriction would be for a legislator who resigned before the term of office had expired. In that case, the former legislator could not register as a lobbyist until the term for which the person had been elected had expired.