Bill would put restrictions on lobbying by former lawmakers, state officials

By Cy Ryan

Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY — Former state officials and legislators would be banned for two years after they leave office from lobbying the Legislature under a bill introduced Friday by 10 Republican lawmakers.

But there are plenty of exceptions that allow the lobbying to continue.

The bill, AB184, would prohibit a former legislator or constitutional officer from accepting money to appear in the legislative building or any buildings where the legislature is holding a hearing.

It would also ban the former officers from talking to any member of the Legislature on behalf of someone else to influence the lawmaker.

But the prohibition would not apply if the former officer made a formal appearance before a committee and identified the interest he or she is representing or if the former officer was a member of the news media.

The bill says a former officer would be able to appear if he or she is an officer or employee of a local government, a state agency or the Legislature. The officer would have to confine his lobbying activities to the agency he represents.

The former officer, however, would be permitted to contact the legislative member from his district.

There were seven Assembly members and three senators who co-sponsored the bill that was referred to the Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections.