In audits released Monday, Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway took to task the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate, saying policies on sexual harassment needed more improvements after scandals forced resignations the legislative bodies in 2015.
Galloway also said both the Senate and House lacked clear policies on how long they are required to retain the e-mails from specific legislators, noting there’s no policy for both bodies, though the House keeps e-mails for six weeks. The Senate keeps e-mails for legislators for only 30 days.
In her first audit since being appointed to the position, Galloway exposed how state lawmakers are receiving money from lobbyists. An interim committee in the Missouri House asked two separate lobbyists for $500 each for money to pay for the bus for a statewide tour on education. The lobbyists gave money to the committee.
Also, the Missouri Senate has access to a fund in a bank account. That account is funded by lobbyists. State senators can access it to pay for dinner for themselves and their staff when they're working late.
Galloway said, "Having lobbyists' gifts to fund official state business or on the Senate having a lobbyist bank account that is outside the state treasury in violation of the Constitution..feeds into that negative perception of what is going on in Jefferson City."
Overall, auditors gave both the House and Senate a rating of “good,” the second-highest rating of four ratings available.
Click here to read the findings in the audit of the House of Representatives.
Click here to read the findings in the audit of the Senate.
------
Follow 41 Action News on Twitter:
Like 41 Action News on Facebook:
