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Bill would end ‘revolving door’

Black wants to keep ex-legislators away from special interest groups for one year

A bill introduced Tuesday by Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, and Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, would place penalties on former Wisconsin legislators who work for special interest and lobbying organizations within a year after leaving office.

The bill prohibits any former lawmakers from taking a job that requires communicating with the state Legislature for five or more days in any six-month period in an attempt to influence laws or regulations during their first year out of office. Violators would be punished with fines of $5,000 and up to one-year in prison per offense.

Current Wisconsin law prevents other state officials from working for a lobbyist organization for the first year out of their state office but says nothing about regulations for legislators.

“I think it’s unseemly for legislators to be making decisions about special interest and then the next day to take a salary from a special interest,” Black said. “There are quite a few lobbyists who used to be in the Legislature.”

Black cited a specific example of a former lawmaker convicted of a crime and sent to prison, then let out of jail as part of a prison-work release program. For his job in the program, the former legislator was sent to the Capitol to work as a lobbyist.

Michael Semmann, president of the Wisconsin Lobbyists Association, disagrees, saying former lawmakers should be allowed to serve as lobbyists when leaving office.

“If a certain former official has expertise on an issue, it may not be in the state’s best interest to prevent them from lobbying,” Semmann said.

Former lawmakers often have expertise in certain subjects that can help give citizens a voice and educate current lawmakers contemplating government decisions, Semmann said. However, he did acknowledge waiting period regulations like those proposed by Black and Lassa are not uncommon.

Although the bill had been introduced in previous legislative sessions, passing in the Senate but not the Assembly, Black said he believes the bill has a better chance of becoming law this session due to the Democratic majority in the Legislature.