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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT:
Nicole Reigelman |
State Rep. Chris King |
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King working to eliminate post-election sessions
HARRISBURG, Feb. 26 – State Rep. Chris King, D-Bucks, is continuing the fight for real reform in the State House by introducing a resolution to end the controversial practice of casting votes after the November election, known as the “lame-duck” voting session.
King is introducing a resolution that would amend House rules to require the final adjournment of the state House of Representatives’ 2007-08 legislative session to be no later than Monday, Nov. 3, 2008.
King said that would block the controversial “sine die” legislative sessions that have allowed some lawmakers to do business even though they were leaving office due to retirement or losing an election. “Sine die” is Latin for “without a day” and is used to describe the final adjournment of the two-year session.
“With the tremendous turnover and so many incumbent lawmakers unseated in the legislature last year, it is disturbing that even once the voters had expressed their dissatisfaction with their representation, those ousted or retiring could continue to vote on some of the state’s most important issues,” King said. “Lame-duck voting is an infamous practice that ought to be ended.”
The resolution would allow for session to be held in the case of an emergency, which would be determined by a three-fourths vote of House members, or the declaration of a special session by the governor, King said.
The resolution would apply only to the 2007-08 session. A permanent elimination of sine die sessions would require a constitutional amendment.
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