Bill > SB976

This bill modifies rules for candidate committees, which are groups formed to support a candidate's election campaign. Specifically, it requires individuals who register as lobbyists, meaning they advocate for specific interests to government officials, to dissolve their candidate committees. When dissolving, these committees can only disburse funds by returning contributions to their original donors, donating to qualified non-profit organizations (those exempt from federal taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code), or transferring money to a political party committee. However, there's an exception: individuals can maintain a candidate committee for county, municipal, or school board offices if they are not lobbying the specific county, municipality, or school district for which they are seeking election, and they can change the office they seek as long as they are never simultaneously lobbying for that office. Any candidate committee maintained under this exception can only spend money to support the candidate's own campaign or for the same purposes allowed during dissolution. The bill also clarifies that terms like "lobbyist," "committee," and "candidate committee" will use the definitions already established in other Missouri statutes.

Government Affairs

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=376