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Senate advances election-code recodification bills (House Bills 84 and 88) despite limited printings
Summary
The Senate suspended rules to move House Bills 84 and 88 (election law recodification) to the second/third-reading calendars; members debated limited printing but both bills passed and were sent to the House/returned for further action.
Under suspension of the rules the Senate placed two House bills addressing election-code recodification on the second/third-reading calendars and proceeded to read and vote on them. Senator Richards carried House Bill 84 (electoral recodification phase 2), noting the bills were large and printed only in limited quantities; several senators objected to voting without copies on principle but the chamber voted to suspend the rules and proceed. After a roll-call vote House Bill 84 passed (23 ayes, 3 nays, 3 absent) and was sent on for the House’s further action.
The Senate then moved House Bill 88 (technical election-law amendments) under suspension as well. Sponsors described HB 88 as largely technical and tied to earlier recodification work; the chamber approved HB 88 (26 ayes, no nays, 3 absent) and returned it to the House for the next steps. Senators repeatedly flagged the procedural tradeoff of limited printing versus expedited floor action; a few members recorded objections to voting without having a personal copy in hand.
Both measures were advanced as part of an election-code recodification effort and carried no substantive policy changes as described on the floor; the Senate’s actions were procedural motions to expedite consideration.
