All Roll Calls
Yes: 20 • No: 1
MissouriSB1522025 Regular SessionSenate
Creates new provisions relating to foreign spending in state ballot measure elections
Sponsored By: Ben Brown (Republican)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 4 mixed.
Ballot measure spenders face quick reporting
Entities spending to support or oppose a Missouri ballot measure must submit a funding affirmation within 48 hours. They must tell the Missouri Ethics Commission they have not knowingly or willfully accepted over $10,000 total from prohibited sources during the preceding four years. They must also affirm they will not accept more than that amount through the rest of the ballot year. Required disclosure reports must include the affirmation. Funds generated entirely through U.S. operations, or obtained through commercial or other transactions that are not contributions, are exempt from this section.
Election officers face group participation checks
Missouri government entities and election officers need required certifications before joining covered groups, using their programs, or buying their services. Certifications address election-administration financing and freedom from direct or indirect foreign donations; they are sworn under penalty of perjury. They must be renewed annually and updated within five business days after new information is learned; professional memberships and unrelated private memberships are excluded. Election officers’ covered private involvement, including planned involvement, requires a public hearing and online disclosure identifying the officer, group or program, funding, and supporting materials. New documents must be added within ten days, and disclosures must remain online at least 30 days before participation and 180 days afterward, using an associated official or secretary of state website when needed.
Foreign ballot measure support faces bans
Missouri ballot measure committees cannot knowingly or willfully seek or accept direct or indirect contributions from prohibited sources, including foreign-national funding. Treasurers must certify that early committee activity used no prohibited funds, affirm compliance in reports, and keep required records; ballot-measure spenders must also keep records. Committees cannot accept non-cash contributions from foreign nationals or anyone who knowingly or willfully accepted over $10,000 total from foreign nationals in the preceding four years. Foreign nationals also cannot make non-cash expenditures supporting or opposing a ballot measure. They cannot direct or participate in another person’s ballot-measure decisions, or directly or indirectly ask others to donate or spend money on those elections.
Private election funding faces new limits
Missouri government entities cannot seek, accept, or use private donations of money, goods, or services for covered election administration. Covered work includes voter registration, election security, ballot processing, and election-official training. Post-election canvasses, recounts, contests, and audits are excluded, and election officers may accept donations of very small value. A violation is a class B misdemeanor, but enforcement applies only when a government entity knowingly accepts foreign-influenced election funds.
Election funding violations bring financial penalties
After a court finds a covered violation, committees must refund contributions to original donors within 30 days; unlawful spenders must pay the attorney general the reported spending cost within 30 days. If a group cannot pay, specified responsible officers, directors, or other leaders can each be held personally responsible for the full payment. If the attorney general wins, the court must order an injunction and may award damages up to twice the prohibited amount, plus an additional penalty up to three times those damages for knowing or willful violations. Lobbyists can face suspended or revoked registration and court orders barring lobbying pay or spending. Appealed amounts stay in escrow pending the final order, and losing parties have expedited appeal rights and may request a pause; these cases use a separate enforcement path rather than specified existing enforcement procedures.
Funding investigations gain powers and safeguards
The Missouri attorney general can demand information and bring civil cases with reasonable cause to believe covered violations are occurring or imminent. Before discovery, a probable-cause hearing is required; the attorney general bears the proof burden, and cases without probable cause are dismissed. Investigations must protect lawful tax-exempt donors’ identities, and the attorney general may collect identities only when directly related to an alleged violation. The attorney general cannot reveal an investigated entity’s identity or those donors’ identities publicly or to unrelated officials unless a final determination finds that entity or donor violated the covered rules. Improper collection or disclosure violates the state’s donor-privacy law.
Larger ballot donations require donor checks
For contributions over $2,000, Missouri ballot-measure committee treasurers must obtain donor statements about foreign status and prohibited funding. Donors must affirm they are not foreign nationals and have not knowingly or willfully accepted over $10,000 total from prohibited sources. The funding-history check covers two years for individuals and four years for other entities. Committee disclosure reports must also affirm donor status and funding history, using a four-year lookback. A donor affirmation creates a presumption of committee compliance, though contrary evidence can overcome it.
Party election observers get access rules
County party chairs may name one challenger per polling place, provide substitutes, and swap designees during election hours. In first-class and charter counties, covered access also includes absentee voting and ballot-counting locations; watchers may stay while absentee ballots are prepared or counted. Challengers and watchers must meet election-judge qualifications and be registered voters in the local election authority’s area. Chairs must submit signed forms at least four business days before entry for eligibility checks; replacements for ineligible designees are due before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday before the election. Challengers may report suspected election-law violations to judges and then the election authority, must direct voter-ID challenges to those officials, and may share lists of people who voted before polls close without those lists counting as statements about the vote count.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Ben Brown
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/29/2025
Reported Do Pass
Yes: 6 • No: 0 • Other: 3
House vote • 4/17/2025
HCS Reported Do Pass
Yes: 14 • No: 1 • Other: 2
Actions Timeline
Delivered to Secretary of State (G)
7/9/2025Approved by Governor (G)
7/9/2025Delivered to Governor
5/30/2025Signed by House Speaker
5/29/2025HouseHouse Message
5/22/2025HouseTruly Agreed To and Finally Passed
5/15/2025Title of Bill - Agreed To
5/15/2025HCS Defeated
5/15/2025HouseTaken Up for Third Reading
5/15/2025HousePlaced on the Informal Third Reading Calendar
5/5/2025HouseReported Do Pass - AYES: 6 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 3
4/29/2025HouseVoted Do Pass
4/29/2025HouseExecutive Session Completed
4/29/2025HouseReferred: Rules - Legislative
4/22/2025HouseHCS Reported Do Pass - AYES: 14 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 2
4/17/2025HouseHCS Voted Do Pass
4/16/2025HouseExecutive Session Completed
4/16/2025HousePublic Hearing Completed
4/8/2025HouseReferred: Government Efficiency
3/31/2025HouseRead Second Time
3/31/2025HouseReported to the House and First Read
3/27/2025House
Bill Text
Committee Substitute
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