Madison Ald. David Ahrens will soon propose an ordinance to ban registered lobbyists from serving on city committees. The proposal is expected to be introduced on July 7 as a means of eliminating both the appearance and reality of conflicts of interest.

The ordinance would not only prohibit registered lobbyists from serving on city committees, but would also force those who are not lobbyists when appointed and who register later to vacate their seats.

Although the city currently requires lobbyist registration and disclosure, Ahrens argues the current law isn’t enforced.