JEFFERSON CITY • The Missouri House on Monday voted to weaken the state's Sunshine Law, a Watergate-era measure routinely used by citizens to access information that could otherwise be kept secret by public officials.

During debate on a bill related to lobbyist gift bans, Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O'Fallon, proposed an amendment that would add exemptions to the law.

Lawmakers in the GOP-controlled House attached Schroer's amendment to the bill on a voice vote, meaning none of their individual stances were recorded.

Schroer's amendment exempts records "received or prepared by or on behalf of a member of a public governmental body" that consist of "advice, opinions and recommendations in connection with the deliberative decision-making process of said body."

Schroer also wants to exempt "constituent case files," which include "any correspondence, written or electronic, between a member of a public governmental body and a constituent pertaining to a constituent's request for information or assistance."

Rep. Jon Carpenter, D-Kansas City, said he opposed Schroer's amendment, even though he supported one provision that exempts Social Security numbers, personal cell phone numbers and home addresses from disclosure.