TALLAHASSEE - State lawmakers are back at the Capitol for the first time in months, and some are using the opportunity to engage in a favorite pastime: collecting campaign checks from lobbyists and their clients.

It's the first time since the regular session ended in May that legislators are in Tallahassee for a short week of two-plus days of meetings devoted largely to workshops, not debates on specific legislation. Among the items to be discussed: ``responsibility for pest control activities of employees'' by the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Missing from the agenda is talk of how to fix the Public Service Commission, which critics say is a limp watchdog over profit-making utilities, or an unresolved gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

CAMPAIGN MONEY

Legislators are prohibited from soliciting or accepting campaign money during the regular 60-day session each spring, which makes occasional gatherings for committee meetings a fertile time for fundraising. Though lobbyists complain privately of being flooded with faxes and e-mails to attend ``receptions,'' many keep writing checks.

``Obviously, if it's a committee week it's an opportunity to have a fundraiser,'' said Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, a Fort Lauderdale Republican seeking an open state Senate seat in 2010.

Bogdanoff, who chairs the House Finance & Tax Council, held two events Monday, one hosted by the Florida Retail Federation, a group that closely monitors all tax-related issues.

She said the recession has made it necessary to hold more frequent fundraisers. ``The economy has shown itself for the first time in the fundraising world,'' Bogdanoff said. ``Checks are half what they used to be, so you're working twice as hard for half as much.''

Bogdanoff's Republican opponent for the Senate, Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, holds an event of his own on Wednesday in the library of the members-only Governor's Club.

Tuesday night, at the Governor's Club and other venues in the shadow of the Capitol, more than two dozen House members and candidates will hold events. They include Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, and five newcomers seeking open seats, including Matt Gaetz, the son of Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who is seeking a House seat held by Rep. Ray Sansom, R-Destin.

FLURRY OF EVENTS

Other events will raise money for freshmen House Republicans on the balcony of the Governor's Club, and a fundraiser for the Florida Hispanic Legislative Caucus. Five more events will be held Wednesday night.

``Raising money for a campaign in our system is necessary, if you want to be able to reach the voters,'' said Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, a first-term Republican from Orlando. ``I do think we ought to find out ways to make it less expensive.''

To that end, Eisnaugle held talks Monday with lobbyists for online search engines such as Google and Yahoo. The meeting dealt with ensuring access for political advertising on the Web.

This week's abbreviated series of committee meetings will end at 6 p.m. Wednesday. But lawmakers will be back the first week of November, and some have already begun sending invitations for fundraisers that week.

Times/Herald staff writer Shannon Colavecchio contributed to this report. Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com.

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