How many freshman Democrats who ran as "reformers" last November voted with the party bosses to kill state House reform measures recommended by a bipartisan commission? All of them.In a late-night vote Wednesday, Democrats repealed the reform measures instituted in the state House of Representatives two years ago.
The move opens the way for more late-night votes similar to the legislation that legalized casino gambling in 2004 and the pay raise lawmakers gave themselves in 2005.
On the House floor Wednesday night, Rep. Curt Schroder (R-155th Dist.) spoke out against proposed changes to House rules that would restore "the bad old days" before the Speaker's Reform Commission put an end to late-night voting and "gut-and-run" amendments.
From a statement issued by Schroder:
"The Speaker's Reform Commission's goals were to make sure House members, the press and the public could see what legislation was being proposed and have time to study it," said Schroder. "The commission's goal was to ensure transparency. Yes, it takes more time, but it is necessary to ensure openness."This is the result of voters sending a Democratic majority back to Harrisburg despite the fact that 12 people connected with the House Democratic Caucus have been indicted in the "Bonusgate" corruption probe. You wanted business as usual in Harrisburg ... and you got it.
Schroder said the vote by House Democrats to restore the old policies was akin to exchanging openness for expediency.
"This action rolls back and retreats from the rules established by the bipartisan Speaker's Reform Commission a couple of years ago that required 24 hours before an amended bill could be considered on final passage," said Schroder. "We are indeed opening the door to the bad old days. Under the new House rules, legislation may be rewritten at the last minute and brought to the floor for a vote and become law without giving adequate time for legislators and the public to absorb the changes."
In addition to the 24-hour rule change, the new rules pave the way for sessions to go past the 11 p.m. deadline established by the Reform Commission. They also give the Rules Committee more power to manipulate bills.
"The House rules adopted Wednesday night dim the light that was shone on the legislative process by the work of the Speaker's Reform Commission. The rule requiring a 24-hour waiting period to vote a bill after it is amended is now rendered ineffective; gut-and-run, last-minute amendments can once again be passed by the House Rules Committee and the likelihood is now greater that bills will be passed in the middle of the night once again," Schroder said. "The Democrat members of the Reform Commission and first-term Democrats who ran on a reform agenda were party to this destruction of openness."
Also Wednesday night, Schroder voted for an amendment that would have prohibited House members from being employed by lobbying firms. House Democrats defeated it.
Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS
