SB 613 - This act authorizes the closure of public records under the Missouri Sunshine Law that are retained by the office of a member of the General Assembly that are related to a constituent of the member. The act defines the term "constituent" to include any person who is a resident of, or pays property taxes within, the legislative district of the member, but shall not include a lobbyist or lobbyist principal. Further, any record may be closed that is retained in the office of a member of the General Assembly, or employees of the General Assembly, that contain information regarding proposed legislation or the legislative process. These authorizations to close records shall not apply if the record has been offered in a public meeting of either house of the General Assembly or, for legislative records, to any record addressed to, or from, a lobbyist or lobbyist principal.

When responding to a request for records, this act authorizes a public governmental body to charge a minimum fee of five dollars for any request where there are allowable fees of less than five dollars. Such five dollar fee shall be in place of any allowable fee of less than five dollars. A request for records shall be considered withdrawn if the requester fails to remit all fees within thirty days of a request for payment by the public governmental body.

This act has an emergency clause.

This act is similar to SCS/SB 132 (2019).

JIM ERTLE

Statutes affected:
Introduced (3147S.01): 610.021, 610.026
Committee (3147S.02): 610.021, 610.026

---

Senate Committee Minutes:
SENATE COMMITTEE MINUTES Bill No.: SB 613
Sponsor: Emery
Hearing Date: 2/18/2020


COMMITTEE: Government Reform

CHAIRMAN: Emery

DATE REFERRED: 1/16/2020 DATE HEARING REQUESTED: 2/11/2020



STAFF:
Steve Ahlers
Rose Granich
Heidi Kolkmeyer
Rob Krosley
Scott Svagera


WITNESSES GIVING INFORMATION:
Jean Maneke - MO Press Association


WITNESSES FOR:



WITNESSES AGAINST: