In an effort to prevent Florida from gaining an Illinois- or New Jersey-like reputation for public corruption, state senators are pushing ethics legislation forward that would preclude them from voting on issues that could benefit them financially.
Senate Bill 82 calls upon legislators to abstain from voting on measures that could directly benefit them, their family members or their business interests, and it passed Wednesday through the Government Oversight and Accountability Committee.
The bills sponsor, Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, said she has been trying for years to pass such a measure, but it is finally getting a hearing this year.
This is the fourth year in a row Ive filed this bill and this is the first time its come before the committee, Dockery said.
The bill was amended to clarify that legislators must vote on the overall budget, but must announce if they stand to gain from any particular line item in the budget. The amendment also precludes senators from lobbying, or working behind the scenes for any financially beneficial line item.
Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, voted in favor of SB 82 but voiced concerns that the bill goes too far in barring votes on business-related items. Bogdanoff, who works for a law firm that lobbies on behalf of clients in Tallahassee, said she feared the prospect of being sanctioned for not revealing an interest of client or law partner, since those interests potentially spread to a wide range of issues and votes.
I know what youre trying to do, but we have to narrow it, Bogdanoff told Dockery.
Dockery felt her bill was not overbroad but promised to work with Bogdanoff as the bill moves through its committee process.
This is not so broad that if youre an insurance agent you cant vote on insurance issues, Dockery said.
Two senators -- Democrat Gary Siplin of Orlando and Republican Stephen Wise of Jacksonville -- voted against the measure.
The recent acquittal of former House Speaker Ray Sansom notwithstanding, the high-profile corruption trial of a high-ranking former legislative leader combined with the reliably consistent reports of corruption charges on public officials coming out of South Florida, have placed the issue of ethics reform at center stage in Tallahassee.
A grand jury issued several recommendations for strengthening Floridas ethics laws in December, but not all of them are receiving a favorable hearing from legislators.
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, added an amendment allowing the Ethics Commission to investigate reports of ethics violations by a unanimous vote to Dockerys bill, but his bill increasing criminal penalties for those who use their office to commit crimes failed to get out of its second committee.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, put Dockerys bill and other ethics-related bills back on the committee calendar this week after they were pulled last week due to time constraints. He said he was in favor of the move toward ethics reform and liked the trend of the bills.
I think thats what the spirit of (Dockerys) bill is all about -- disclosure, Haridopolos said.
SB 82 only applies to senators; the House already has a similar provision in its rules. But Dockery said other Cabinet-level officers should be held to the same standard, and recuse themselves from knowingly taking action that could benefit them financially.
Haridopolos stopped short of saying whether Gov. Rick Scott -- or any governor in the future -- should fall under the ethical rules of the Legislature.
Youll have to ask the governor that question, he said.
Gov. Scott has come under fire for his executive order compelling state workers to provide urine samples for random drug screenings, even though his former health care company, Solantic, provides drug test services. For his part, Scott has transferred his stake in the company over to his wife, Ann, and appears to consider the matter closed.
Im not involved in that company, Scott said Tuesday.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
