Ladeez and gentlemen…welcome to the Battling Barristers! For the (at least) third time, HB 265(Schwartzkopf) leads off the House Agenda. This bill increases corporate fees, taxes, etc,, by around $51 million annually. Here’s where the barristers come in. The D’s have placed an amendment with the bill stipulating that a 3/5 majority (25 members) must vote for the bill. This is known as a supermajority provision. The R’s have now placed an amendment with the bill stipulating that a 2/3 majority (28 members) must vote for the bill. So, each side will call their house attorney to the floor to make the argument as to which supermajority applies. This is hardly a mere exercise. I highly doubt that the D’s have 28 votes for this bill, but they do have 25, assuming that all hands are on deck. We could well see a reprise on the Senate side, assuming the bill gets there.
Don’t have much to say about HB 132(D. E. Williams), which makes some adjustments to distance requirements for establishments selling alcohol, except to ask whether anybody proofread this thing. I mean, a ‘Farm Wintery’? Getting ‘Too’ and ‘To’ mixed up? C’mon, guys.
HB 256(Heffernan) makes it easier for law enforcement to entrap would-be sexual predators who try to arrange meetings online. Virtually the entire General Assembly has signed on as co-sponsors.
HB 105(Viola) provides for same-day registration for presidential primary, primary, special, and general elections. Wonder how many R votes this gets? Doesn’t matter, it’s good policy. More legal registered voters are always better in a participatory democracy.
The Senate Agenda features legislation designed to increase penalties for those who commit witness intimidation. A worthy enterprise, but I doubt its efficacy. We’ve also got legislation requiring JP Court employees to piss in a jar. Finally, we’ve got the recommendations of the Blue Collar Task Force in bill form, SJR 4, SJR 5, and SJR 6. All sponsored by Sen. Marshall with bipartisan support.
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report. Lotsa bills made it out of committee, but that was about it.
That’s about it.