Whether to Uphold the Rules
In one hour, the House Democratic Caucus will meet and decide whether to break one more promise to themselves and Kentuckians before they end this session.
Earlier we noted that the House passed rules that declare the two day period at the end of session will only be used to consider vetos put forward by the governor, not any legislation that has not yet passed the legislature.
House Democrats are divided into two camps: those who want to stick to the rules they made for themselves, and those who think that they're paid to legislate and legislatin's what they should do.
Republicans don't count, according to Speaker Stumbo.
Here's how some of the opinions break down with 2008 rankings added.
From the Courier-Journal:
Rep. Tim Firkins (#95), of Louisville, said the rules were put in place earlier this year to prevent political games from being played in the final hours of a session.
"I support (Stumbo's) position that there probably wouldn't be any damage done to deal with the issues still hanging out there come January," he said.
But Rep. Tom Burch (#96), of Louisville, said legislators ought to continue doing the business voters sent them to Frankfort to do.
Rep. Robin Webb (#69), of Grayson, said it wouldn't matter to her either way, but she personally plans to vote to continue passing legislation.
"I feel like we've got two more days to do business, if there is business that needs to be done I'd vote to suspend the rules," she said. "I think the main thing the caucus wanted was to have input into the process."
From Mark Hebert:
Larry Clark (#62) and Greg Stumbo (#88) say there's no emergency. They want to stick by the House rules and go home.
The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports that Sen. Dorsey Ridley (D-Henderson, #31) is lobbying the House to break the rules so that can create tolls and give away tax dollars to special interests:
"I am writing in hopes to gain your support for HB 102, regarding the bridge authority bill, and HB 229, regarding the economic development incentive bill," Sen. Dorsey Ridley wrote in an e-mail sent today to western Kentucky lawmakers. "Please request House Leadership to allow action to be taken on these pieces of legislation."
Leadership out in that part of the state like to build roads even when the governor and the courts call them "patently unnecessary". We expect citizens of Western Kentucky are as eager to be tolled for unnecessary roads as they were thrilled that so many of their legislators voted to hike gas taxes.
The Herald-Leader quoted Rep. Bob Damron (D-Jessamine, #34)House Majority Caucus Chairman Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, said House leaders felt that the membership should decide whether to suspend the rules that the group worked so hard to implement in January. There are many people in the House who feel the rules should be followed, Damron said.
"They put some fairly significant rules in place," Damron said. "I suspect that they would want to keep them."
We'll see in an hour.
