A six-month waiting period before Missouri lawmakers could lobby is a few steps away from a final vote.
House members voted 131-19 Thursday to limit when lawmakers can lobby after the end of their terms.
Legislators can now immediately lobby their former colleagues after leaving office. The push to close that revolving door comes as lawmakers are trying to tighten ethics policies following resignations last year of two lawmakers accused of inappropriate behavior toward interns.
The measure would apply to current and future lawmakers and statewide elected officials.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where members previously voted to strip the waiting period.
The House vote comes the same day Gov. Jay Nixon is expected to act on a bill banning lawmakers from hiring each another as political consultants.
