LANSING - - With a high rate of legislators becoming lobbyists after leaving office, some lawmakers would like to ensure a break between the end of their terms and their lobbying jobs.

Michigan ranks sixth in the nation in number of legislators-turned lobbyist registered with the secretary of state: 43.

Bill Ballenger, publisher of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter, said with term limits, the job of a lobbyist becomes more appealing to an ex-senator or ex-representative.

“Someone like a legislator becomes intrigued by the Capitol atmosphere,” Ballenger said. “They think they have something to offer to a potential client, like an inside source, and they take the job.”

Other factors in the decision includes their love for public policy, money and the friendships they made while in office, said Craig Ruff, a senior policy fellow at Public Sector Consultants.

“Many lobby firms offer compensation at a private-sector rate, which would be a raise in pay in what they are getting now,” Ruff said. “The friendships and camaraderie a person gains as a legislator is another thing they don’t want to let go of and believe will become useful in this line of work.”

Ruff said there is a difference between consulting, which is what his firm does, and lobbying.

“Lobbying deals more with active advocacy, where consulting is just advising a client on what to do,” he said.

Ballenger, himself an ex-legislator, said legislators go into lobbying for the same reason that clients want to hire them as their lobbyists.

“Clients become allured when they see these credentials,” Ballenger said. “They’ll listen to a person who knows certain senators and has an idea of how the system works.”

Ruff said it comes down to two things when a client looks at a lobbyist’s credentials: knowing the political process and having access into that system.

“Clients want to make sure that their lobbyist knows how a bill is introduced and how it gets out of a committee,” Ruff said. “They are also interested in knowing who the lobbyist knows and whether they can get in touch with the right senator on their current issue.”

Ballenger said the legislator-to-lobbyist practice has been going on a while and has prompted a proposal to ban ex-legislators from lobbying for at least one year.

Rep. Marc Corriveau, D-Northville, chair of the House Ethics and Elections Committee, proposed the bill because he said it would help eliminate suspicions of wrongful influence.

“This has been a theme that has been going on for a while,” Corriveau said. “Some people take those lobbyist jobs weeks after they end their term, which causes suspicion and creates opportunities for influences to take over.”

Corriveau said there is no reason to oppose the proposal regardless of party, and Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said he plans to vote for it.

“I have observed that the problem with term limits is too many legislators are looking abroad to their next job,” Jones said.

Jones said if he had his way, it would be a ban for five years instead of just one.

“This issue provides us with a poor appearance among our constituents,” he added.

Rep. Barb Byrum, D-Onondaga, said this bill will help keep lawmakers interested in the state’s needs instead of their own.

“I believe it is very inappropriate for legislators to take on a job that would take on influences that affect their current job,” Byrum said.