Grading the not so special session
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the session?
State legislators, senators who failed to enact an education budget to be specific, were bound to get a chance to redeem themselves sooner or later in a special session. After all, without a budget the show can't go on and education financing is certainly one of the rings in the legislative branch's three-ring circus.
The chance for redemption comes sooner, not later. It is probably a relief to the senators who will likely act rapidly to adopt an education budget and put behind them their embarrassing squandering of an entire legislative session without accomplishing their chief duty. Though to be honest, there are some legitimate strategic explanations as well as general excuses for permitting such a cardinal task to linger in mortal jeopardy as the final minutes of the regular sessions ticked away.
The House members can only grumble at their guilt by association.
Pass a budget and make it snappy and it will be almost as if the original sin never happened or so the senators wish.
Legislators, except where noted, are speaking just before the Senate crashed and burned on the final day of the regular session without passing the education budget:
"We were able to pass a couple of small insurance reform measures, but there is still a need for consumer based reform to the industry. Locally, the firefighters and police officers supplemental pension bill was contested by Rep. (James) Buskey and once again died. Legislation to expand the county commission to five members also died ... but we did
pass some local bills that had been held up over the last few sessions. So, locally it was better.
"We reached a gill net compromise ... voluntary buyout, prohibit out of state fishing and prohibit additional license transfers. Current fisherman can continue to fish if they refuse the buyout. We weren't totally happy with it, they weren't totally happy with it ... which means it was probably a fair compromise.
However, the session was a long way from a success. Budget woes and a totally dysfunctional Senate ... so at best, I give it a C-."
(Post Senate failure update)
The Senate's inability to pass an Education Budget demonstrates a total lack of leadership. The Democratic leadership in the Senate is totally unaware of the public's contempt with the legislature; either that or they just don't give a damn. The public views us as a 'do nothing' legislature and the Senate validates it. The House isn't exactly holding hands
and singing kumbaya, but we did meet our constitutional mandate
of passing the budgets.
The people of Alabama deserve better ... This session is an F."
-- Rep. Spencer Collier,
R-Bayou la Batre
"... we have one legislative day to go. I would be better suited to give you an answer after that day has passed depending on whether we pass the education budget and the smoke free bill in the Senate. Other than that it's been a rough session, but all in all we got a lot accomplished such as insurance reform (Ben Brooks Bill). Right now I would give it about a seven (7) (out of 10)."
-- Rep. Joe Faust,
R-Fairhope
"I would say a "C-" . Most of our key bills were not even given a committee vote. We did get some insurance reform. Not as much as we wanted but enough to build on in the upcoming sessions. I would give Ben Brooks an "A" in his efforts to bring relief for local homeowners."
(Post Senate failure update)
I would grade the session a "D". The failure to pass an education budget caps a poor session. The insurance bills of Ben Brooks are an excellent start toward reform that kept us from utter failure. One day our side will control the flow of bills and the people of Alabama will see real progress."
-- Sen. Rusty Glover,
R-Semmes
"Been a great last few days of nice temps and quietness. I'd have to say that this session has been a little more productive than last year's. I do look forward to the days wherein we are more negotiators than partisans. Seems like we could accomplish more if we practiced more give and take.
That being said, maybe next year we'll do even more."
(Post Senate failure update)
"I stand corrected. We had a rough ending. I'd say that the house is predictable and passes over 100 bills a year. The senate? Well, that's a different story. Going back in on June 1 will hopefully put an end
to the back and forth."
-- Rep. James Gordon,
D-Saraland
"65-70 ... It was a very bad session. However, you must see what did not become law to see that good things happened. I am constantly amazed at the bad legislation in Montgomery that does not ever need to become law. Also, I am amazed at how many bills are introduced that have a negative monetary effect on the people that I represent. I think the Legislature wants the middle-class taxpayer to pay for everything."
-- Rep. Randy Davis,
R-Daphne
"We have one long day left to go and a lot of work to do. This is my first session and I have nothing to compare it to from the inside but based on what I have observed in the past and discussion I have heard I would give the session a B. We passed some good bills, most important Ben Brooks SB3 and the SUTA Bill. We have so far blocked attempts to undermine Bradley Byrne and the State School Boards efforts to reform the two-year system and we passed the General Fund Budget. The atmosphere while strained is better than last year, they have been no fights since I have been there, and the Republican and Conservative Democrat Caucus has work well together for the most part. To quote lines from a famous play 'one more day,.... one day more!!!!'"
(Post Senate failure update)
"You can read my first sentence and tell I was concerned about the last day. Since passing the budgets is the only real responsibility of the legislature, and since we failed to accomplish that responsibility I would give the session an F.
My goal on Monday was to pass the ETF Budget and that did not happen. I expected a compromise all day and encouraged all parties to reach one.
In hind sight the cloture vote should have been taken earlier so that the issue could have been brought to a head. By waiting until 10:30 p.m. for the cloture vote there was no chance to pass the ETF Budget because Jim Preuitt was going to require the Budget to be read at length before the vote was taken, and that would have taken several hours.
A compromise was offered by the governor to put the $25 million as a first priority conditional appropriation and that was accepted by the Higher Ed side if it was added to the official wording of the budget. But Paul Hubbert and Hank Sanders would not agree to that. I tried to get involved and was speaking to the governor and Dr. Hubbert in the lobby outside the chamber. The governor offered to put it (the compromise) in an executive memo and attach it when he signed the budget, Dr. Hubbert agreed to that but the Higher Ed Lobbyist would not. I and several senators made attempts to get something going but obviously the powers that be had dug in (the lines in the sand had become trenches), and the session ended."
-- Sen. Trip Pittman (speaking before the Senate failed to pass an education budget in the regular session)
R-Montrose
"House B+
Senate C+
House addressed significant issues i.e. local bills, budgets, without prolonged bickering. To the Senate's credit, holding at least one budget until the final day thus preserving supermajority vote to adopt Budget Isolation Resolution (BIR) most likely killed some bad bills. Expect proration in ETF barring unforeseen revenue turnaround. My opinion, revenue estimates overly optimistic. Watch for Democrats to blame Governor Riley!"
-- Rep. Steve McMillan,
R-Bay Minette
"This session is still in progress with one day to go. The House, for the most part, has worked together on considering a variety of legislation. The House has performed our primary duty in the General Session by passing both budgets (General and Education) under considerable challenging circumstances with a depressed economy. The Senate has approved only the General Budget with the Education budget still remaining. The governor will have to call a Special Session if the Education Budget is not passed. The Senate, as was the case last year, has continued to be embroiled in a stalemate for most of the Session with very little legislation moving until right here at the end. We will have to wait and see on the final day as to what legislation survives what is expected to be a late night on our final day (May 19).
As for a grade for the State Legislature this session, I would make three points. One, whether the State Legislature is called into Special Session for failure to pass both budgets would influence those grading the Legislature (which is premature at this point). Two, if grading the Legislature on their performance, the Legislative bodies should be graded separately (House & Senate). Third, legislators should be evaluated as to how effectively and actively they individually represented their district and constituency.
Concerning the Gill Net Ban legislation, this has been a most difficult issue over the last two years with many difficulties encountered in moving the legislation forward. The story behind this bill is much deeper than most citizens would know."
-- Rep. Alan Baker,
R-Brewton
