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Rules Committee clears introduction of S. 329 to carry Burlington charter language statewide
Summary
The Rules Committee voted 3-2 to allow introduction of S. 329, a bill that would take language from the Burlington charter and apply it statewide after the measure missed drafting and crossover deadlines; the committee relied on Rule 39 authority and a motion to clear the deadlines.
The Rules Committee voted 3-2 to permit introduction of S. 329, a Senate bill that would adopt language from the Burlington charter for statewide application, after the sponsor said the proposal missed both the drafting and crossover deadlines.
The committee chair, who called the brief meeting, said the change was being pursued as an "extraordinary circumstance" because efforts to amend a House bill encountered procedural obstacles. "I called this meeting as someone who is hoping to get permission from the rules committee to okay a new Senate bill moving forward," the chair said.
John, the Senate secretary, told the committee that Rule 39 governs introduction deadlines and that the Rules Committee has the authority to consent to the introduction of bills that miss those deadlines. "Rule 39 ... allows you to introduce a bill in the Senate anytime at all in the first year," he said, and added that a majority vote of the Rules Committee is sufficient to permit introduction without a formal rule suspension.
Committee members discussed procedural options, including the effect of Rule 44A, which would return a bill to Rules if it were reported out of Judiciary; the chair said the committee could also pre-approve the bill so it would not be required to return to Rules under that provision.
A committee member moved to clear S. 329 of the drafting and crossover deadlines and to pre-approve it for introduction. The committee conducted a roll call: Senator Rosenblatt voted yes; Senator Berman voted no; Senator Collamore voted no; Senator Lyons voted yes; and Senator Grohoski voted yes, yielding a 3-2 approval.
The motion authorizes introduction of S. 329 so long as it proceeds consistent with the committee’s consent; the committee did not record any amendments or additional conditions in the transcript. The chair then adjourned the meeting.
The bill (S. 329) had been drafted to take the Burlington charter language and apply it statewide; the committee’s consent clears the procedural hurdle that previously prevented timely introduction. The committee did not set a further schedule for floor action in the recorded remarks.
