HELENA -- With a firm hand, Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Thursday became the first person to sign his proposed ballot measure to require departing elected officials to wait two years before becoming lobbyists.

Schweitzer signed Initiative 153 in the Capitol rotunda before the bust of one of his heroes, former Gov. Joseph Dixon, who served from 1921 to 1924. Dixon told Montanans he would represent their interests, not those of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Schweitzer said.

"I-153 will make sure that you have a clean government,'' Schweitzer said at a press conference. "Finally, the people across Montana can be assured when they elect somebody, they will be working for the folks back home, not the lobbyists who prowl the halls of the state Capitol.''

To qualify for the November ballot, backers need the signatures of 22,308 voters, including 5 percent of the voters in 34 of the 100 state House districts.

I-153 would impose a two-year "cooling-off'' period on state elected officials, including legislators, top appointed officials such as department directors and members of elected officials' personal staffs before they could become lobbyists. It's aimed at closing, at least for two years, the "revolving door'' in which these officials immediately become lobbyists after leaving public office.

Schweitzer said it would make sure that top state officials are representing only Montanans, "not making some kind of a sweetheart deal for the job they're going to get as a lobbyist the day after they're a lawmaker.''

The 2005 Legislature killed Schweitzer's proposal that included a cooling-off idea, so he decided to take it directly to voters. He said he expects a groundswell of Montanans to help gather the signatures to put I-153 on the ballot.

If voters demonstrate they want clean government by approving I-153, Schweitzer said he will present the 2007 Legislature with a package of bills to further toughen ethics and lobbying laws.

Joining Schweitzer to sign the initiative was George Harper, a retired Methodist minister, a delegate to Montana's 1972 Constitutional Convention and father of Hal Harper, Schweitzer's chief policy adviser.

"We've never had term limits on lobbyists before, and this is at the right end of it,'' Harper said, referring to the "cooling off'' period.

Schweitzer said his "cooling-off'' proposal would be among the toughest among the states, matching South Dakota and Iowa's laws.

Montana Common Cause endorsed the initiative.

"In light of recent national scandals which reveal a serious system failure, it is simply unacceptable for any public official to turn that service into private gain,'' said C.B. Pearson, treasurer of the group.

Former state Sen. Barry "Spook'' Stang, D-St. Regis, said he has "mixed emotions'' about the proposal. He now is executive director of the Montana Motor Carriers Association.

"I think there are some legislators who make good lobbyists and they don't have any undue influence.'' Stang said. Yet some former legislators do come in and act like they are still lawmakers and use that influence as lobbyists, he said.

Stang said he fell into the lobbying job after serving the Legislature and losing a bid for state auditor in 2000.

"I never went into the world of the Legislature with the intent of being a lobbyist when I came out,'' Stang said.

As a trade association director, Stang said he lobbies for only four months every two years and spends the rest of his time working on "safety issues and issues with the motoring public.''