Ethics bills continue to stumble in the state capitols, but Kansas City, Missouri's ethics code is about to get an update.
The council Finance, Governance and Ethics Committee has endorsed a plan to set a maximum value of $1,000 for gifts to council members, and quarterly disclosure of any gift worth over $200 from anyone doing business with the city- including tickets to events at venues not owned by the city.
City Attorney Bill Geary says the restrictions are tougher than those for the state legislature.
"What we tried to do is to deal with what's right," he said, " not what's legal and what you can get by with. You know, what's right and what ought to be expected."
By contrast, the state of Missouri has no limits whatsoever on gifts to members of the legislature or to their election campaign funds.
