Members of a state House panel agree the state needs to update its ethics law but are divided along party lines on how to do it.
At a Tuesday hearing on a number of ethics proposals, Republicans on the House General Laws Committee said the state needed to take a piecemeal approach on the issue.
But Democrats say the issue needs to be addressed comprehensively.
The panel considered measures to institute a cooling off period before lawmakers can register as a lobbyist, impose campaign contribution limits and require legislators to disclose additional financial information.
Missouri is the only state not to have limits on campaign contributions and gifts from lobbyists, or a waiting period before an elected official can lobby.
The committee did not vote on any of the proposals.