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House Rules Committee divided over whether HR 4 fits rule on "sentiment of the House"; motion to sustain Speaker's ruling fails
Summary
The House Rules Committee debated whether House Resolution 4 — which calls for censuring two Bozeman judges, requests their resignation and would be sent to the Supreme Court chief justice — fits within House Rule 40-20’s allowance for resolutions as expressions of sentiment. The committee voted 11-11 on a motion to sustain the Speaker’s ruling, and the motion failed.
The House Rules Committee on a procedural referral debated whether House Resolution 4 fits within House Rule 40-20, which permits resolutions that express the "sentiment of the House." Representative Millett, speaking for sponsors, said HR 4 "calls for 3 things" — censuring two Bozeman judges, calling for their resignation and sending the resolution to the chief justice of the Supreme Court — and emphasized that "a resolution is just an expression of the sentiment of the house."
Opponents argued the resolution goes beyond mere sentiment by listing factual findings and invoking possible legal consequences. Representative Branson told the committee the…
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