O’Neal to Introduce Resolution to End Midnight Madness Committee Votes
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) announced he will soon introduce a House resolution to change the House’s operating rules to prohibit committee votes after 11 p.m., just as is the case for the full House.
“I was shocked last week when the Democrat majority held a House Appropriations Committee meeting after 11 p.m. to substantially amend legislation,” O’Neal said. “What made the situation even worse was that committee members were not given the amendment until minutes before they were asked to vote. These types of shenanigans are what led to the infamous pay raise vote in 2005. We should not be voting on legislation when the majority of our constituents are asleep.”
Current House Rules dictate that the full body shall not hold voting session past 11 p.m. unless three-fourths of the membership vote to extend session to address a pressing issue. O’Neal’s resolution would set similar stipulations for committee meetings.
“Members I have spoke with thought the 11 p.m. rule applied to committee votes as well, but the Democrats don’t seem to agree,” O’Neal said. “As a result, we need to put this formally in the rules to end this midnight madness that is an insult to democracy and a disservice to the body and the people of Pennsylvania. No legislation should be rushed and voted on in the cover of darkness and away from the eyes of the public.”
The 48th Legislative District in Washington County covers the city of Washington; Amwell, part of Carroll (Districts 3, 4 and 5), East Finley, Fallowfield, Morris, North Franklin, part of North Strabane (Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), Nottingham, Somerset, South Franklin, South Strabane, and West Finley townships; and the boroughs of Donora, East Washington and Green Hills.
Representative Tim O’Neal
48th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
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