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Motion to suspend rules and reconsider failed after division on floor
Summary
Senator Harkins sought to suspend the rules and return to a failed bill to offer explanation and possibly change votes; the chamber divided and the motion failed.
Senator Harkins moved to suspend the Senate rules and return to item 41 (House Bill 1902) to reconsider the vote by which the bill failed the previous day. He said his intent was not to amend the bill but to offer clarifying remarks that he hoped might change the votes of colleagues.
Senator Blunt and others asked procedural questions. Harkins confirmed he did not plan to offer amendments and described the motion as an attempt to clarify confusion from the prior day's vote. A suspension of the rules to revisit the failed bill required the supermajority voting threshold for suspension.
The Senate then divided on the motion to suspend the rules and return to item 41. Division was requested and the clerk took the counts; senators were asked to stand as appropriate. The presiding officer announced that the motion to suspend the rules and go back to item 41 had failed.
Context and next steps
Senator Harkins indicated he would not alter the text of the bill but wanted to clarify points that he believed were misunderstood when the bill was previously considered. Because the motion to suspend the rules failed, the chamber did not reconsider the prior negative vote and the bill remained in its failed posture pending any future procedural motion or reintroduction.
Ending
The floor moved on to other calendar business following the failed suspension motion, including additional introductions and recess scheduling.
