Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Florida House members better get used to flying commercial.
House Speaker-designate Richard Corcoran is expected to announce new rules Thursday, including one that would prohibit members from flying on planes owned, leased, or paid for by lobbyists. The proposed rule change is meant to end a common practice among lawmakers and the influence industry, according to a sources close to the incoming House speaker.
The practice of hopping a ride on a lobbyist’s plane is considered fairly common. Lawmakers often pay for their ride, but it could create the appearance of impropriety.
The prohibition is expected to billed as a commonsense measure toward a good government. Corcoran is expected to make the argument that lobbyists and their clients shouldn’t be covering the cost of travel for members to do their jobs.
But Tallahassee could be one of the most difficult state capitals to get to in the country, especially from South Florida. It would take you about eight hours to drive from the House District 120 office in Key Largo to Tallahassee.
Want to fly? According to Expedia there are four nonstop flights to Tallahassee from Miami International Airport, where many members of the South Florida delegation would fly from, on Monday, Dec. 5, the first day of the committee weeks in the Florida House. Most of the other flights have a layover in Atlanta.
And just in case you were wondering: It takes less than four hours to drive from Land O’Lakes, Corcoran’s hometown, to Tallahassee.
