Statement from Integrity Florida on passage of legislative residency requirements

(SCR 954: Joint Rules of the Florida Legislature) "The public benefits when every Florida community has a representative," said Dan Krassner, executive director of the nonpartisan government watchdog group Integrity Florida. "We need to know that our elected officials live amongst us, understand our concerns and will go up to Tallahassee to ensure our voices are heard. Integrity Florida applauds Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford for their development of clear guidelines on residency requirements for lawmakers.  Senator John Thrasher, Senator Jack Latvala and Representative Rob Schenck are to be commended for their leadership to deliver this good government reform for the people of Florida. Citizens need to know that the officials they elect live in their communities and will be committed to their interests. Lawmakers are protecting the principle of representative democracy and we applaud their continued bipartisan action on ethics reform." ###

Integrity Florida is a nonpartisan research institute and government watchdog whose mission is to promote integrity in government and expose public corruption.  More information atwww.integrityflorida.org.