Rep. John Burnett, who serves on the Ethics Reform Committee, criticized that this bill didn't go through his committee. It was referred through General Laws at 8 a.m. this morning, then Rules at 9 a.m., and some Democrats said they didn't see the legislation before they were asked to vote yes or no.
Both Witte and Rep. John Burnett, D-Kansas City, who also serves on the Ethics Reform Committee, said it didn't make sense to pass a bill without limits. Both noted limits were enacted in 1996 with over 70 percent of the vote, until the legislature removed them two years ago.
Rep. John Burnett, who is the only representative to serve on both the Ethics Reform and Rules committees, said he also worries reform is dead. He said the reform committee likely will refuse to remove the limits, even if it makes the bill more palatable.
"There is obviously a split in opinion between what we want and what (the Senate) wants," said Rep. John Burnett, D-Kansas City. "It's going to have to be a give-and-take, otherwise there's not going to be a bill."