JEFFERSON CITY — Political arguing over proposals to overhaul Missouri’s elections and ethics rules peaked Thursday as House Republicans approved their own plan with little input from Democrats.</p><p>The ethics legislation was pushed through on a partyline 88-71 vote after a brief but contentious debate. Lawmakers accused one another political grandstanding while booing and heckling one another. When Republican House leaders shut off debate and forced a vote, one Democratic lawmaker tossed a stack of papers in the air while others made squawking sounds implying Republicans were too chicken to let them speak on the bill.</p><p>House Speaker Pro Tem Bryan Pratt, R-Blue Springs, called the bill the “most comprehensive and sweeping ethics reform bill in the universe.”</p><p>Democrats called it a “sham” and questioned Republicans’ sincerity in overhauling ethics.</p><p>Rep. Jason Kander, who had filed a bipartisan proposed ethics overhaul, said the measure debated Thursday was a “mockery” and an effort to inject partisan politics into the debate. He said the House’s handling of ethics legislation had been disappointing enough to make him cynical.</p><p>“They want to be able to say they did something about ethics reform without actually having to do anything about ethics,” said Kander, D-Kansas City.</p><p>The bill now goes to the Senate. The legislative session ends May 14.</p><p>Missouri lawmakers and Gov. Jay Nixon began the year by proclaiming it a priority to overhaul the state’s political ethics laws. Last year, three St. Louis Democrats resigned from the legislature after pleading guilty to federal felonies. A former Republican House speaker also has faced a federal investigation into his handling of legislation.</p><p>Progress on the ethics legislation had stalled in the House as controversy developed over proposed limits on campaign donations. Missouri repealed its campaign finance limits in closing hours of the 2008 legislative session.</p><p>The House legislation would bar lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for two years or gubernatorial appointees for one year, cap lobbyist gifts at $2,500 and ban anyone appointed by the governor to a state board from giving political donations or participating in fundraising. It also establishes a system for advanced voting, a requirement that people show a government-issued photo ID to cast ballots and demands special elections to fill vacancies in statewide offices.</p><p>Campaign donations would be capped at $20,000 for statewide officeholders and judges. The wording in the bill does not appear to apply the donation limit to state lawmakers, but Republicans said their intent was to include them in the caps.</p><p>Also included in the legislation are provisions that require secret ballots for elections to form unions and mandatory drug testing of elected officials. Another provision would allow only certain county or city officials to run state driver’s license fee offices. The bill also would allow the governor, lieutenant governor or legislative leaders to file lawsuits on behalf of the state over constitutional protections.</p><p>Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder previously has said he plans to file a lawsuit in federal court challenging the federal health care overhaul.