Hickey seeks 2-year lawmaker-to-lobbyist delay

Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, R-Reno, is calling for legislation establishing a two-year cooling-off period for lawmakers before they can become paid lobbyists.

Thirty-four states have enacted similar legislation, he said.

“This bill will help prevent the revolving-door practice of parlaying legislative clout into lobbying prowess,” he said of AB77.

“If I’m a legislator, term-limited or considering leaving my elected office and becoming a lobbyist next session, then wouldn’t that influence the way I vote on certain pieces of legislation connected to any potential future employer? Of course it would,” he said.

AB77 will be heard by the Legislative Operations and Elections Committee at 4 p.m. today.