Over the past several weeks, our state has been rocked by doubts about the caliber of individuals -- specifically ex-felons -- being issued licenses in the mortgage broker industry.

Currently, Florida law prohibits any convicted criminals from obtaining a mortgage broker license if their previous crime was directly related to mortgage brokering.

Unfortunately, this provision does not prohibit ex-felons with other crimes in their background, including murder, rape, arson or drug trafficking, from obtaining these licenses.

As a member of the Florida Cabinet, this inability to address a broader range of prior criminal activity concerns me gravely. Certainly, we should want to protect not only home assets, but also personal identification information and other sensitive information which might be at risk if ex-felons are granted immediate access.

Recently suggested changes to the agency that licenses brokers are important, but I do not believe they will be effective in the protection and accountability we seek.

If someone has been convicted of drug trafficking in the tens of thousands of dollars, I would have serious misgivings about granting him a license to work with homeowners' assets.

I believe the only way to properly address this situation is to prohibit all ex-felons, for a period of time, from holding certain occupational licenses, particularly those requiring trust, honesty and integrity as essential to the occupation.

This prohibition would have no effect on voting rights and others restored during the civil rights restoration process, but would provide the protection for our citizens that the current situation has demonstrated we so clearly need.

I look forward to continuing to identify solutions and working toward a better set of circumstances under which we have equal protection and respect for civil rights.

Bill McCollum is the Attorney General of Florida.