About the Commission
The Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) was established by the Missouri Ethics Law of 1991 (§105.955 RSMo). The Commission consists of six members, each appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the senate for a four-year term. Commissioners serve in a nonpartisan manner and not more than three can be of the same political party. Each member must be selected from a different congressional district. A chair and vice-chair are elected biannually.
The Executive Director oversees the day-to-day operations of the agency along with a 23-person, professional and non-partisan staff. The agency is divided into the following Divisions: Administration, Compliance and Education, Enforcement, and Information Technology.
Under state statute and the Missouri Constitution, the MEC is responsible for the following:
- Lobbyist registration and reporting of lobbyist expenditures
- Campaign finance reporting for those committees filing reports with the MEC
- Receiving Personal Financial Disclosure Statements (Financial Interest Statements) and maintaining an up-to-date list of required filers
The MEC has the authority to receive complaints and conduct audits and investigations to ensure that lobbyists, committees, and public officials are properly filing reports. The MEC also may investigate complaints relating to the conflict of interest laws (§§105.450 to 105.468, RSMo), provisions of the Missouri Constitution or a statute or local order, ordinance or resolution relating to the official conduct of public officials or employees. While investigations and closed by law, commission actions can be found on the Commission’s website here.
The Commission makes transparency and public information a priority in its operations. The Commission’s website provides detailed financial information about campaign expenditures and contributions and includes many publications, brochures, and web tutorials explaining Missouri’s ethics laws, requirements and regulations. The Commission is dedicated to providing assistance and training for public officials, candidates and others wanting to understand ethics laws.
Mission Statement
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The MEC serves the public interest by promoting and maintaining transparency, accountability,
and compliance with campaign finance, lobbying, and conflict of interest laws. We
educate and assist the citizens of Missouri, public officials, lobbyists, and those
participating in public elections by increasing awareness and understanding of the
law. We investigate and enforce these laws consistently.
Meet our Commissioners
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Whitney Smith
Republican
, 2nd Congressional District
Term expires 3/15/2028
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Jim W. Martin
Democrat
, 8th Congressional District
Term expires 3/15/2028
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Meet our Senior Staff
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MEC Branding Initiative
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