Action Alert: HB 1 Scheduled for Senate Hearing
April 30th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under
By El Somnambulo
The new Senate committee meeting notices have been posted, and HB 1 is scheduled for consideration in the Senate Executive Committee next Wednesday.
Karen Peterson’s SB 57 is also on the agenda.
You know what to do from here.
Comment by Unstable Isotope on 30 April 2009 at 8:01 pm:
Road trip!
Comment by Brian Shields on 30 April 2009 at 8:22 pm:
Open govt bill? It’s finals week, bear with me.
Comment by Unstable Isotope on 30 April 2009 at 8:25 pm:
Yes, HB1 is the Open Government bill.
Comment by Rebecca on 1 May 2009 at 4:23 am:
Right U.I. – Road trip! More to follow.
Comment by PI on 1 May 2009 at 7:18 am:
It is most important to draw a crowd on HB1. The Exec Comm would not be entertaining it if they didn’t have the votes to shut it down in committee. Afterall, the Exec Comm is comprised of all of the senators who have prevented open government legislation from moving every other year.
Comment by El Somnambulo on 1 May 2009 at 8:15 am:
PI is certainly right that it’s essential to draw a huge crowd, and (here’s just a scintilla of hope), it’s not 100% certain that the fix is in. Here is the Executive Committee membership:
Chair: Thurman Adams
Members: Patricia M. Blevins
Nancy W. Cook
Anthony J. DeLuca
F. Gary Simpson
Liane M. Sorenson
Ordinarily, legislative Executive Committees are comprised of the leadership in the respective houses, 3 majority positions, 2 minority slots. Here, of course, a sixth person has been added, none other than the self-styled matriarch herself, Nancy Cook.
None of the members of the Executive Committee are signed on as sponsors to HB 1.
So, ‘bulo suggests that constituents of the senators listed above contact their respective senators, politely encourage them to support the bill and, if the opportunity presents itself, report back if they let you know how they intend to vote.
‘Bulo suspects that Sorenson and Blevins are likely ‘yes’ votes, and Simpson could be as well. He sees DeLuca as a possible swing vote, and if enough of his constituents speak to him, maybe, just maybe, he can be swayed.
It is also essential to let Adams and Cook know how you feel as well. Particularly in Cook’s case, if she knows that a lot of her constituents are watching her closely on this, she might just get a little nervous.
And keep in mind that all is not necessarily lost if the bill gets buried in committee. With Bushweller on the bill as a sponsor, with Mike Katz and some others, there is a fighting chance that the bill could be petitioned out of committee. It’s the nuclear option, but it grows more likely every year.
Comment by Unstable Isotope on 1 May 2009 at 8:57 am:
DeLuca is my Senator. I’ll call him and report back.
Comment by PBaumbach on 1 May 2009 at 9:49 am:
UI–DeLuca is your senator…
my condolences