Ethics reform effort begins in Missouri's House

Intro:	Politicians found lying to the state ethics commission would face felony charges under a bill filed by two state lawmakers. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: It's not a crime for a politician to lie to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

As a result, most political corruption cases have been pursued by the feds.

Kansas City Democratic Representative Jason Kander says it's time for that to change.

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Description: "We don't have to rely entirely on the FBI to do this. We can also do this in state government."

Kander and his Republican co-sponsor's bill would also make it a felony to move funds from one political action committee to another.

The bill sponsors say that will slash the number of committees and make political donors' actions more transparent.

From the State Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	In the months after a rash of Missouri lawmakers being charged with felony crimes, none of the three ethics reform bills filed in the state legislature address much of the corruption at the Capitol. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: No term limits. No ban on accepting lobbyists' donations. And no limits on campaign contributions.

Three ethics reform bills, two in the House and one in the Senate, don't address these major issues.

Kansas City Democratic Representative Jason Kander has co-sponsored the latest effort.

He acknowledged his bill doesn't address everything.

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Description: "Fighting public corruption is like fighting the flu. We come up with a vaccine, and the flu comes back the next year with a new strain. So as the flu adapts, the vaccine must evolve with it."

Kander and his Republican co-sponsor say party leaders want to make changes to their bill.

Under the bill, politicians who are found lying to the state's ethics commission would face felony charges.

From the State Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	A week after Missouri got national attention when its former House Speaker-turned-lobbyist was charged with assaulting a woman, two state lawmakers have filed ethics reform legislation.
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Wrap:

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Description: "The problem is perception."

That's the bill's sponsor, Liberty Republican Representative Tim Flook.

Flook says even with the recent rash of lawmakers pleading guilty to felonies, the vast majority of legislators are ethical.

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Description: "Any of those incidents can be written about in the press, they can be talked about at the kitchen table or in the coffee shop, and they cast doubt on what we're all trying to do down here."

Flook and his Democratic co-sponsor say the legislation would make political donations more transparent and make lying to the state ethics commission a felony.

From the State Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	State lawmakers haven't voted to clean up their ethics laws in recent years, but two legislators say this year will be different. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: It looks a lot like last year: two lawmakers, a Republican and a Democrat, have filed an ethics reform bill.

Last year's bill went nowhere.

Republican co-sponsor, Liberty Representative Tim Flook, says there was just too much to do last session.

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Description: "Last year we had a lot of priorities we needed to move on. What has become different is that we've had incidents around the state, we've had more people asking questions."

Flook and his Democratic co-sponsor say their bill isn't a reaction to state lawmakers recently being charged with felonies.

From the State Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.