Missouri lawmakers have been slow to impose the kind of ethical standards upon themselves that their constituents long have sought.
However, last week, the Missouri Senate voted 20-12 in favor of a bill that would let Missourians vote to ban lobbyist gifts to lawmakers. It would be codified not as a law, but as an amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
Constitutional amendments should be made sparingly, and we've opposed others on this basis alone. In this case, we applaud the Senate's approval of the bill just as we approve of the amendment.
What lawmakers need to reconsider is a section of the bill that would change term limits in Missouri. Currently, state lawmakers can serve up to eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate, although it's possible to serve beyond that if a seat opens up in the middle of a term.
The measure would let legislators serve up to 16 years in the House or Senate. However, the amendment would reset the clock for current lawmakers, which would allow those approaching term limits to conceivably serve another 16 years, according to the Associated Press.
This part of the bill appears to be another attempt by lawmakers to find a term-limit loophole that lets them retain their grip on power.
We've never been big fans of term limits, because it limits voters' choices. However, why would you poison a bill that attempts to limit an ugly side of politics with a provision that's self-serving for the politicians who drafted it?
We hope the House approves its own version of the lobbyist gift ban, and we hope the two chambers can iron out differences in the bill, including an agreement to spike the change in term limits.
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Lawmakers have argued that a free meal from a lobbyist won't sway their vote. However, we argue it's harder to vote against the efforts of someone who is repeatedly "scratching your back" with not only meals, but fruit baskets, top-tier sports tickets and, even, vacations at golf resorts.
If showering lawmakers with gifts didn't work, lobbyists wouldn't waste their time and money doing it.