TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Pointing to a need to end a perception of a "revolving door," the Florida House on Friday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would place new restrictions on lawmakers and statewide officials who want to become lobbyists.
The House voted 110-3 to approve the measure, which has been part of a push by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, to address ethics-related issues.
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"This has been a top priority for our speaker ever since I have known him," bill sponsor Larry Metz, R-Yalaha, said in brief comments before the bill passed.
Currently, lawmakers and statewide elected officials are barred from lobbying their former agencies for two years after leaving office.
The bill (HB 7003) would extend that prohibition to six years and make it apply to lobbying any state government body or agency.
The dissenters Friday were Rep. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, Rep. Daisy Baez, D-Coral Gables, and Rep. Wengay Newton, D-St. Petersburg. The bill would still have to pass the Senate before it could become law.