House GOP Members to Propose Changes to House Rules Legislation

STATE HOUSE — House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan and members of the House GOP
Caucus intend to propose several amendments to House Rules legislation being voted
upon on the floor of the House on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.

One amendment, important to House GOP members, addresses Sub A legislation. For
example, under House Rules, after an original bill is heard in a committee, changes
to it are often negotiated among various stakeholders. A substitute bill is produced
from this process that can deviate dramatically from the original. Unfortunately as
the process now stands, this Substitute A legislation arrives unseen in committee
and members are expected to vote on it immediately. It does not allow the
responsible deliberation that one would expect when passing legislation that affects
the general public. To correct the process, House Minority Whip Blake Filippi
(R-District 36 Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly, New Shoreham) will be
introducing an amendment requiring that all changes in a substitute bill be
redlined. This process of underlining all changes to the original bill or existing
law will allow representatives to easily and quickly focus their attention on the
relevant changes. The goal of this amendment is to insure informed votes.

Additionally, Representative Justin Price (R-District 39 Richmond, Exeter,
Hopkinton) will introduce an amendment to require a 24 hour posting period before a
substitute bill can be voted on in committee. This will allow representatives and
affected stakeholders time to study, understand and debate all the changes before
releasing the bill to the floor.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader Anthony (R-District 30 East Greenwich, West Greenwich)
will be introducing an amendment to House Rules, which will require that any bill
passed towards the end of the session be posted 96 hours before it can receive a
vote in committee or on the floor. In current practice, bills can be introduced for
a vote and representatives are asked to vote on them without the benefit of a
thorough vetting by them or input from the public. The process does not allow for
thoughtful decisions. Requiring 96 hours to study a bill and its ramifications will
protect the public.

Representative Sherry Roberts (R-District 29 Coventry, West Greenwich) will
introduce a floor amendment to the Rules of the House which will do away with the
tedious process of seconding bills by allowing the Speaker of the House in his
discretion to allow the House voting machines to reflect each member who is
seconding a particular bill. Currently, each member must stand and be verbally
acknowledged by the Speaker if they wish to second a bill. The process consumes
time that could be used more productively. Allowing members to indicate their
support with a machine vote, will be faster, easier and accurate.