MO SB901

Establishes a "Missouri Clean Elections Act" enabling candidates for state legislative and statewide offices to voluntarily participate in public campaign financing by collecting qualifying contributions ($5 each) from registered voters in their districts

Creates the "Fair Elections Trust Fund" financed through tax checkoffs (allowing $3 designations on state income tax returns), qualifying contributions, and voluntary donations to distribute funds to participating candidates via debit cards

Sets public financing amounts based on office type: state representative races receive average of prior contested races' expenditures, state senate races receive similar averaging, and gubernatorial candidates receive $500,000 (primary) and $1,000,000 (general election)

Provides matching funds to participating candidates when nonparticipating opponents exceed spending thresholds or when independent expenditures exceed 20% of the public financing amount for that office

Caps contributions to political party committees at $5,000 per year per entity and limits participating candidates to accepting no more than 5% of their office's public financing amount from any single party committee

Establishes enforcement mechanisms including civil fines up to 10 times the violation amount and criminal penalties (Class D felony) for knowing misuse of public funds, false information to the commission, or improper payment methods

Requires approval by referendum vote on November 4, 2014, to become effective for elections after the November 2014 general election