A Fairfax delegate wants to change a House of Delegates rule that allows subcommittees to kill legislation without a recorded vote, arguing important bills have been defeated without a public record.
Del. Ken Plum, D-Fairfax, introduced a resolution Friday that would rescind a rule Republicans instituted last year to give more power to subcommittees and speed the legislative process. Under the rule, only three of the five subcommittee members must be present for a vote to be held. If only three members vote, two “no” votes are needed to kill a bill.
Plum noted two high-profile bills died last year in subcommittees — a measure to increase the minimum wage and a proposal to ban smoking in public places.
“About 600 bills out of 2,000 died in subcommittees,” Plum told The Examiner. “The public has no idea why they were killed or how anyone voted. When you havethat many bills being defeated without a record.”
House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, defended the rule as a necessary way to dispose of legislation that lacks “great support.” House rules already permit committee members to resurrect a bill killed in subcommittee, he noted, by calling for a vote before the full panel.
“If there is a feeling that some item of great importance to the commonwealth has been left in a subcommittee, I would suggest that those who feel that way develop the public spine necessary to say a few words in committee,” Griffith said on the House floor.
Under House rules, any resolution seeking to change the rules must be on the calendar for five legislative days before receiving a vote, meaning House members will not decide on Plum’s proposal until Thursday.
“We’ll probably debate it every day until the vote,” Plum said.
