Bill would require reports on inaugural party finances

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's governor and legislators would have to report the costs of their inaugural parties, under a bill given initial House approval on Monday.

The legislation appears to be a response to Gov. Bob Holden, who spent seven months trying to pay off the record-setting $1 million inaugural celebration he held in January 2001.

But House Majority Floor Leader Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, added an amendment that would also affect members of the legislature.

Under the bill, the governor and legislators would be required to create separate committees that would raise funds for an inaugural party.

The committees would then have to report the fund-raising activities -- including donors' names -- to the Missouri Ethics Commission, just as other political committees already do.

"It provides for accountability in public officials," said sponsoring Rep. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon.

Inaugural committees would be held to the same limits on contributions as committees for statewide candidates.

That would mean no individual could contribute more than $1,175.

There would be no cap on how much inaugural committees could spend, but "I guess it all comes down to how much the people want to spend," Goodman said. "I'm not sure they were consulted last time."

The state contributed its maximum of $125,000 to Holden's inaugural in 2001. That limit would not change under the legislation. The rest of Holden's 2001 inaugural money came from private donations.

Governors-elect typically hold inaugural balls in the January in which they take office -- or once every four years.

State representatives and senators traditionally hold legislative balls after general elections in which the governor's position is not on the ballot.

Last year, the House approved legislation requiring inaugural committees to publicly report their finances, but it failed in the Senate. This year's bill requires a final House vote before going to the Senate.

Holden's office did not immediately return a phone call Monday seeking comment about the bill.

Kansas faced a similar situation a decade earlier. Democratic Gov. Joan Finney held a record-setting inaugural in 1991, which was estimated at $250,000. Ninety companies are known to have paid at least $2,000. Facing strong Republican criticism, the Kansas Legislature passed a law in 1994 requiring disclosure of donors.

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Inaugural party bill is HB412.

On the Net:

Missouri Legislature: http://www.moga.state.mo.us