Brandon Demyan: Legislators must close the revolving door

  In 2013, five of Alabama’s elected officials resigned before their term expired to pursue other employment. Three members of the Alabama House of Representatives took positions that potentially require lobbying of the legislature. Currently, former state officials may not lobby their former department or "legislative body" until two years has elapsed; however, the Alabama Senate and Alabama House of Representatives have been determined by the Alabama Ethics Commission to be two separate bodies. In practice, this allows the three former representatives to immediately begin lobbying the Senate, or vice versa, without waiting the required two years. This "Legislative Body Loophole" runs contrary to the original intent of the statute and must be fixed.