Is prior knowledge really a bad thing?

 

There are many differences about the way the House and Senate conduct themselves but one difference that could easily be changed is the advance distribution of a special order calendar. The chairman of the Rules committee in the House, Ken Guin (D), publishes a special order calendar for the next legislative day at least 24 hours in advance of meeting.  However, the same is not true in the Senate. The Senate Rules chairman, Lowell Barron (D) refuses to publish the special order calendar in advance, thus the senators, constituents, and media have no idea what legislation will be debated on any given day.

 

This very fact has caused much debate in the Alabama Senate for the past two legislative sessions. Republican senators habitually filibuster the introduction of a special order calendar because none of them have see any bills that are on the calendar. Barron says that he does not have to publish the calendar in advance but those on the other side of the aisle say is slows the process. Republican senators often pick one sacrificial lamb to filibuster while the others scramble to study the bills before debate begins.

 

Republican senators have shamelessly begged Senator Barron to produce the calendar in advance but it is unlikly a change in policy will come before the end of this legislative session.

 

Marathon day at the Alabama State House

 

The marathon to the final days of the 2010 regular session has begun in the Alabama House and Senate. The House passed the Education Trust Fund budget this past Tuesday. Representative Richard Lindsey (D), chairman of the House Education Appropriations committee, addressed the members explaining the contents of the budget. Lindsey assured the body that this budget was crafted to keep as many teachers in the classroom however some sacrifices had to be made. Historic in the education budget, benefits were not fully funded. According to Lindsey, in response to not fully funding benefits teachers will face increased co-pays and premiums. Also in this budget the Alabama Reading Initiative, ACCESS Distance Learning, and AMSTI are all funded at the 2010 prorated level. After discussing the bill in length, the Alabama House unanimously passed the Education Trust Fund budget with a vote of 104 to 0.

 

To keep the race to the finish alive, the Alabama Senate also decided to debate landmark legislation on Tuesday. Senator Lowell Barron (D) introduced a special order calendar that contained only two bills, SB380 (BINGO Bill) and SB233 (Statewide opt out of the federal health care reform). Not surprising, senate republicans filibustered the special order calendar. Sen. Barron questioned their motives since Sen. Scott Beason’s (R) health care opt out legislation appeared on the calendar. After discussing the calendar the senate adopted Barron’s special order calendar with a vote of 20 to 10. Here is a detailed account of the BINGO debate on Tuesday. The Senate debated SB380 as amended by Sen. Rodger Bedford (D) from 2:30 until 6:15 with proponents of the legislation dominating the mic. After a cloture petition was presented and adopted the Senate passed the BINGO legislation with a vote of 21 to 13.

 

Can AL really opt out of ObamaCare?

 

Senator Scott Beason (R) led the charge in the Alabama Senate to pass a constitutional amendment calling for a statewide opt out of the federal health care legislation. Beason attempted to amend Senator Lowell Barron’s (D) special order calendar for two legislative days but was not fruitful in his efforts. On Tuesday when Barron introduced his calendar, Beason’s healthcare opt out bill was the 2^nd bill on the calendar, just after Rodger Bedford’s BINGO legislation.  Once the Senate passed the BINGO legislation, Sen. Beason’s health care opt out bill came on the floor. Senator Rodger Smitherman rushed to the mic to begin a filibuster on the budget isolation resolution. In a motion of good faith, Sen. Smitherman allowed Sen. Beason’s bill to receive its BIR. Once the BIR was adopted Smitherman voiced his desire to continue his filibuster so the AL Senate adjourned for the night.

 

On Thursday after a joint legislative meeting to award a medal of honor the Senate called up SB233 without the sponsor, Scott Beason, even on the senate floor. While Beason was out, Senator Zeb Little offered an amendment changing the referendum date for the constitutional amendment. Little’s amendment changes the date from the November general elections to July 31. Once Senator Smitherman appeared on the floor he continued his filibuster and told the body to get comfortable because he intended to stay there all night. Smitherman along with the entire Senate black caucus proceeded to filibuster SB233 from 11:30 am until Senator Lowell Barron offered a cloture petition around 5:20 pm. The cloture vote came at 5:55 and SB233 as amended by Sen. Little passed with a vote of 23 to 8.

Filed under: Legislature