Members of the Missouri Senate have begun pre-filing bills for the 2013 regular session.
St. Louis County Republican Senator John Lamping is the first out of the gate, announcing in a press release that he's pre-filed several pieces of legislation. Many of them are bills he sponsored last year that either failed to pass or were tacked onto other bills that Governor Jay Nixon (D) vetoed. Those bills include changes to adoption procedures and granting the mentally disabled the right to use service dogs.
Missouri House members will begin pre-filing bills on Monday. Those bills will likely include the GOP's ethics reform proposal, which will be sponsored by State Representative Todd Richardson (R, Poplar Bluff).
"One of the things that I've been working on is a way to try to make sure that the 501-C-4 corporations, the not-for-profits that have been engaging in political activity in the state, have to disclose their donors along with everyone else," Richardson said.
Richardson's proposal does not include campaign contribution limits, which House Democrats are making the centerpiece of their ethics reform proposal. He says he's open to discussing capping campaign donations, but adds that he wants to focus his efforts on legislation that will pass.
The 2013 regular session begins Jan. 9.
Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport
