In the aftermath of a lawmaker's indictment and a scathing grand jury report into the Legislature's budget process, a pair of legislators want voters to amend Florida's Constitution to require more Sunshine in the state Capitol.

The proposed constitutional amendment by Miami Sen. Dan Gelber and Sarasota Rep. Keith Fitzgerald would require higher standards for open meetings, budget writing and public records.

Gelber, who first started pushing for more open meetings two years ago, said a Tallahassee grand jury's indictment of Destin representative and former House Speaker Ray Sansom over his handling of the budget underscored the need for a change. The grand jury also bashed the Legislature for too much secretiveness.

"It doesn't take a grand jury report and the indictment of a House speaker to know that Tallahassee needs to reform the way it does its business," Gelber said.

Marc Caputo, Times/Herald Tallahassee bureau

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