Research Symposium

BIO

Isabella Barzaga is a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. As a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from Cuba and Colombia, she is especially interested in the relationship between political institutions and the social structures that shape opportunities within communities.

Isabella has participated in undergraduate research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) under the mentorship of Professor Strickland. Her research focuses on transparency in county-level lobbying registration across Florida, examining how inconsistencies in public records affect accessibility and accountability in local governance. This work analyzes differences in registration practices among both large counties, such as Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, and smaller counties including Lee and Alachua.

Motivated by these interests, Isabella plans to pursue law school after completing her undergraduate degree. She hopes to earn a Juris Doctor and build a legal career as a public defender, advocating for individuals who may not otherwise have access to legal representation. As the first in her family to pursue a legal career, she hopes to break barriers and challenge stereotypes while serving as a new source of representation and inspiration for future generations in her community.

Transparency In Florida Lobbying

Abstract

Across the counties of Florida, there is significant variation in how lobbying records are maintained and made available. Lobbying, attempting to influence legislative processes through oral or written communication, is an essential part of the legislative process, and registration of lobbyists is important for transparency and accountability in local governments. This research utilized online county websites to examine the gaps in the current lobbyist database across all 67 counties of Florida. By accessing each website on a 6-factor scale, each county was assigned a transparency score, and then transparency scores were compared across counties. Results found that the overwhelming majority of Florida counties lack a lobbyist database. Out of those that do provide a database, many scored low on the transparency scale due to difficulty of website navigation, lack of contact information, little historical lobbying data, etc. By assessing and comparing these record differences, this research demonstrates how the overall lack of lobbyist data decreases accountability of local governments, can create a sense of distrust among the government and constituents, and prevents constituents from knowing who influences local government decisions. Additionally, this lack of transparency makes it hard for citizens to be informed when voting for politicians and propositions. Based on the research collected, this project helps bring more transparency and accountability to and begins to close gaps in lobbyist data collection.

Keywords: Lobbying, Public Policy, Florida, State politics