Quick Update May 22, 2007
I apologize for not getting my newsletter sent out last week. We are nearing what is called “crossover” in which all bills that are not “finance” or “appropriation” based must pass at least one Chamber, the House or Senate, or they die for the rest of Session. I have been working with my Republican colleagues on two very important issues: Eminent Domain and The Marriage Amendment. I am very happy to report that after 4 years of efforts, House Bill 878, which places the eminent domain question on the ballot, has finally been approved by a committee and will go to the Floor for a vote tomorrow. The text of the Bill is below. The fate of the Marriage Amendment is, unfortunately, much worse. Speaker Hackney “re-referred” the Bill to a Committee today which means it can not be considered again for the rest of the Session because it will not have passed either Chamber. I am very disappointed in but not surprised by the Speaker’s actions. I am attaching his comments to the press below. Thanks for the opportunity to represent our County in the House. Please call me if I can help. I’ll try to get a newsletter out this week. Text of House Bill 878: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H878v1.html Hackney says he'll kill marriage amendment By Lynn Bonner, Staff writer House Speaker Joe Hackney said today that he will use the power of his office to kill the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage. "I said at the beginning of the session that we will control the agenda, and that's what we will do," the Orange County Democrat said. Hackney said he will send the bill to a committee, where it probably will die this session. The bill, which would bring to a public vote a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman, must pass either the House or Senate this week to stay alive for the legislative session. Hackney's move would essentially overrule a House committee vote to send the proposal to a vote of the full House. The committee vote elated amendment supporters because it was the most progress the proposal has made in four years. Hackney said a constitutional amendment would not change state law defining marriage. He called the bill "simply a political agenda."
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