CCOBH is organizing a grassroots effort to reform certain state senate rules that subvert the legislative process and concentrate power in the hands of a few key senators. Briefly our goals are to:

• Eliminate the "desk drawer veto" by supporting legislation requiring all bills introduced in the senate be heard in committee and placed on the Ready List within ten days of their first reading;
• Require all committees to have a quorum of at least a majority of their members in order to meet and conduct business,
• Require public notice of committee meetings be given at least 7 legislative days before meetings, and that notices
• Include the time and location of meetings, and
• Identify by number, title and sponsor all bills to be considered during the meetings
• Require that the public be given the opportunity to speak at all committee meetings,
• Require that bills be placed on the Ready List at least 5 legislative days before the end of each legislative session so that senators have the opportunity to read and study them before they vote.

CCOBH sent this letter to every senator, asking for his or her support of these essential reforms. We will create a page to keep you appraised of their responses.  The votes of 11 senators out of 21 are required to to make reform a reality.  Past efforts for reform have fallen short by only one or two votes.  By building a coalition of individuals and organizations willing to lobby their senators we want to convince hesitant senators to commit to reforming the rules. We will continue our efforts until they agree to do so. The changes we want are fundamental to good government regardless of party in power.

January 9, 2008: Senator Copeland introduced SB 182 and SB183 which would require that the annual budget and bond bills be introduced in the senate no later than five and three legislative days, respectively, before the end of the session.  (An important step in the right direction, which we fully support.)

January 21, 2003: SR 8 was introduced in the 142nd General Assembly by Senator McBride in an attempt to end the "desk drawer veto".  (The bill failed, but the co-sponsors are on record supporting this essential reform.)