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A Senate committee on Friday rejected a plan for a one-year cooling off period before top state executive-branch leaders could become a lobbyist or employee for a company they had previously regulated.

The Senate Retirement and Independent Entities committee voted 2-1 against SB207, sponsored by Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City. Dabakis said he ran the bill to increase government transparency and prevent the "revolving door" in politics where people move between government jobs regulating industry to lucrative positions in those industries. He added there is no way to know if someone agreed to make a deal before moving to work with the company.

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, argued that if the proposed restriction were in place no one would want to join a governor's Cabinet knowing they might face a year of unemployment after their government service. It could limit government service to people who were wealthy or were professional bureaucrats, he said.

Dabakis said he didn't he intend to stop anyone from working — only from immediately lobbying or working for companies he or she had once regulated.

Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, joined Weiler in opposing the bill, saying the plan assumed people were crooks.