Mo. judge strikes down new ethics law

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A state judge has struck down a Missouri law that imposed new ethics and campaign finance requirements.

Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green ruled Thursday that the law was unconstitutional because the legislation creating it addressed more subjects than conveyed by its title, which simply said that it related to ethics.

The judge's ruling strikes down provisions requiring quicker reporting of many campaign contributions during the legislative session. Other measures now invalidated limited the shuffling of money between political committees and created new crimes for lobbyists who did not properly report how much they spend on state officials.

The judge also said a prohibition on donations by state-chartered banks to political action committees violated free speech rights.

Missouri legislators passed the ethics law last year.