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Senators Lift the Lid on Lobbyist Gifts

February 1, 2005
By: Tim Carnahan
State Capital Bureau
Links: SR150

Missouri Senators remove the lid on lobbyist gifts.

Tim Carnahan has more from the State Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Senators threw out a rule limiting the size of gifts from lobbyists.

Until the change Senators could not accept a gift of more than fifty dollars.

But now Senators can accept gifts of any size.

Saint Louis County Senator Joan Bray says she wants to keep the rule.

She says the rule change could feed public perception that lobbyist gifts affect policy decisions.

Actuality: BRAY1
RunTime: 11secs.
OutCue: "...moneyed interest."


Contents: Sometimes there are cases where the public can point to outcomes of particularly favorable outcomes of monied interest.

Supporters of the change say the rule was unenforceable.

From the state Capitol, I'm Tim Carnahan.

tdc

Senators can now accept gifts of any size from lobbyists.

Tim Carnahan has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Senators changed a rule which put a fifty dollar cap on gifts from lobbyists.

Now Senators are free to accept gifts of any value from lobbyists, but the Ethics Commission will continue to track gift amounts.

Senator Charles Shields says the rule was antiquated because the values of received gifts are made public.

Actuality: SHIELDS1
RunTime: 10secs.
OutCue: ....any given legislator does.
Contents: "If anybody has that concern then they can go out and look at those reports and determine exactly what little giving and receiving any given legislator does."

The Ethics Commission posts gift information on their website.

From the state Capitol, I'm Tim Carnahan.