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Regola Introduces First Piece of Legislation
HARRISBURG -- Tuesday’s
Swearing-In Day ceremony (January 4) was just finished and the post-ceremony
celebrations barely under way when Senator Bob Regola introduced his first piece
of legislation, Senate Bill 11 -- a Joint Resolution to eliminate “lame duck”
voting sessions by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. SB 11 was the first bill
introduced in the Senate for the 2005-06 Legislative Session.
Though levity is usually more prevalent than
legislation action in the State Capitol on Swearing-In Day, Senator Regola said
it was an excellent time to introduce his resolution.
“Today is the beginning of the legislative session
and my resolution addresses the way in which we should end it,” Senator Regola
said. “Fewer than a dozen states allow their lawmakers to conduct voting
sessions after an election and even fewer actually conduct those sessions.”
When the General Assembly was considering a large
number of bills during the lame duck portion of the 2003-04 Legislative Session,
then Senator-elect Regola pledged to introduce legislation to eliminate that
practice. The Joint Resolution submitted by Senator Regola on Swearing-In Day
fulfilled that pledge.
Senator Regola’s bill calls for an amendment to the
state Constitution, which means the legislation must be approved in two separate
Legislative Sessions and by the voters as a referendum.
“Ending lame duck voting sessions would increase
public confidence in state government,” Senator Regola said. “In addition, the
Governor would still be able to call the General Assembly into Special Session
in cases of emergencies.”
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