Florida Constitution Revision Commission member Don Gaetz (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Callaway)

The Florida Constitution Revision Commission advanced a sweeping ethics package, which includes a proposed six-year lobbying ban for former state lawmakers, agency heads and local government officials.

The 28-5 vote on the measure (Proposal 39) marked the beginning of the process of sorting through three dozen potential changes to the state Constitution. The commission, which meets every 20 years, has the unique power to place issues directly on the November 2018 ballot.

In addition to the ethics measure, the 37-member commission advanced seven other proposals to the panel's Style and Drafting Committee, which has the authority to revise the measures and group proposals on the ballot. Once approved by the committee, proposals will return to the full commission for a final vote, which will require support from at least 22 members. The commission faces a May 10 deadline for its final decisions.