Missouri lawmakers' private work overlaps with legislation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- An Associated Press review found numerous examples of Missouri lawmakers championing legislation that affects the industries in which they work.

It's a fairly common practice in the state's part-time Legislature, where many members hold private-sector jobs to supplement their $36,000 annual salary. When asked, lawmakers denied conflicts of interest, sometimes pointing to outside experience as helping to inform legislation.

Here are some examples of lawmakers' involvement in bills that would affect their work outside the Legislature:

• Republican Rep. Kevin Austin, a Springfield attorney with law firm Keck & Austin LLC. His firm has represented Branson amusement park Silver Dollar City in personal-injury cases as recently as this year. Austin introduced a bill that would limit personal-injury lawsuits against amusement parks unless the owner or operator is notified verbally within two days and in writing within 30 days.
• Rep. Gary Cross, a Lee's Summit Republican and member of the Mid-America Association of Real Estate Investors, which on its website states "real estate and small business owners have an advocate in the Missouri House of Representatives. Gary Cross." Until he amended his personal financial disclosure form after questions from The Associated Press, Cross did not list his rental company Cross Real Estate LLC. Cross said he wasn't aware it needed to be disclosed because the company receives no government contracts. He's sponsored a number of bills that would help landlords, including a law that made it easier to evict guests of tenants.
• Rep. Don Gosen, R-Ballwin, a State Farm insurance agent and chairman of an insurance committee. Gosen said the bills he introduces benefit small businesses and consumers, not insurance companies.
• Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, was involved in private negotiations that resulted in three Kansas City-area school districts being carved out from a contentious bill that would allow the expansion of charter schools. Critics, including Holsman, have said it's unfair to allow charters to open and potentially siphon students and tuition dollars from districts that are performing well. Among the districts exempted in the bill is Center School District in Jackson County, where Holsman's wife works.
• Sen. Mike Parson, a Bolivar Republican running for governor in 2016, owns 48 acres of farmland and a cattle and calf operation near his home, according to personal financial disclosure documents. A new law he backed allows trucks to carry heavier loads of livestock on some Missouri roads. It could cut down costs of transporting the animals, while transportation officials say it could damage roads.
• Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, is vice president of Schatz Underground Inc., a utilities contractor. Schatz sponsored a bill to prevent municipalities from requiring communication service providers to move utility poles or other infrastructure unless the city pays them or hires a contractor who has worked with the company in the past. Schatz said the intent was not to promote business for his company, adding "this was a measure that obviously the utility providers are requesting." Local officials have criticized the bill, saying it is costly for taxpayers.
• Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, is the state director of the Missouri Grocers Association. Gov. Jay Nixon is considering a bill sponsored by Shaul that would ensure stores can use plastic bags, which some criticize as environmentally costly but are less expensive for stores.
• Democratic Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors, is president of the Missouri State Building and Construction Trades Council. She has been a vocal opponent of a right-to-work bill prohibiting workplace contracts that require union fees from nonmembers, which critics say would weaken unions.