Lobbyists sponsor "country club" hearings

Intro:	Country club House committee meetings are sponsored by lobbyists.
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Wrap: Republican Committee Chairmen Lyndal Fraker changed the location of a committee hearing Wednesday night after some ethical questions were raised the day before.

The committee meeting was sponsored by an interest group and scheduled at the members-only Jefferson City Country Club.

Democratic House Minority Leader Jake Hummel said democratic committee members will not attend meetings outside the Capitol anymore.

Actuality:	HUMS3.WAV
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Description: If it's an official meeting it is something that we've asked. We've talked to all our members. We haven't had anybody that's said they would be attending any and we are very happy with that.

Fraker's hearing has since relocated back to the Capitol.

House Speaker John Diehl was not available to comment.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Hannah Knight.

Intro:	Lobbyists are sponsoring House committee meetings.
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Wrap: Ethical questions arose when a House Committee hearing was held at Jeffereson City's Country Club Tuesday night.

Another committee hearing was scheduled to meet there the following night.

The hearing has now been rescheduled to meet at the Capitol.

Representative Jeremy LaFaver, a Democrat from Jackson County has filed a bill that would ban these "country club" meetings in response to theses, quote, country club hearings.

Actuality:	LAFAUR1.WAV
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Description: The Speaker's first step that he took this morning is a good, very small first step. Perhaps the next step would be reffering the ethics bills to committees.

Republican House Speaker John Diehl was not available to comment.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Hannah Knight.

Intro:	House hearings are being sponsored by lobbyist organizations.
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Wrap: A House Democrat sponsored an ethics bill Wednesday in response to House committee hearings being held at Jefferson City's Country Club and paid for by lobbyists.

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Description: There's a long list of things that need to be changed and I hope that this public pressure continues so that we can get meaningful ethics reform through the House this included.

A hearing was originally scheduled to be held at the country club on Wednesday, but that hearing has been moved to the Capitol.

Republican House Speaker John Diehl was not available to comment on the issue.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Hannah Knight.