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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Senate Committee Approves Bill to Forbid College Professors from Serving in Legislature
Florida Senate Committee Approves Bill to Forbid College Professors from Serving in Legislature
Florida State Senator John Thrasher believes professors from public universities and colleges should not be able to serve in the legislature, citing a potential conflict of interest whenever lawmakers take up bills impacting these institutions. So the Republican politician from Jacksonville has introduced legislation that would ban professors and other university employees from holding office in the state House or Senate.
The problem with Thrashers logic, notes journalist Ralph De La Cruz, is that just about anyone serving in the legislature can have a conflict of interest with respect to their professionlawyers, farmers, business owners, etc. Thrasher himself is a lawyer who spent several years as a lobbyist.
Thrashers bill, SB 1560, passed out of the Senate Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections on a 7-6 vote. However, it may have a tough time passing in the Senate. Among the obstacles are Senate President Mike Haridopolos, whose occupation is professor at a community college.
http://www.allgov.com/Unusual_News/ViewNews/Florida_Senate_Committee_Approves_Bill_to_Forbid_College_Professors_from_Serving_in_Legislature_120127
handmade34
(22,756 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)RockaFowler
(7,429 posts)I don't know how much more I can take from these yahoos
immoderate
(20,885 posts)College professors are too smart, anyway.
--imm
sinkingfeeling
(51,434 posts)there's never any bills that would impact those industries.
LeftinOH
(5,351 posts)moguls and others are FAR likelier to have conflicts of interest than college professors. Republicans are predictably hypocritical- and stupid.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Singling out a particular group of people as being unable to serve in elective office seems to me to be facially unconstitutional.
Typical repuke bullshit. It never ends.