House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) today proposed some immediate changes be made to how the House operates.  Smith is proposing the adoption of a temporary set of rules to govern how the body operates, pending development and adoption of permanent new rules which will be developed with member and citizen input.

“The public wants and expects change, and House Republicans are committed to making the House and all of state government more transparent,” Smith said.  “We were in fact prepared to start immediately; however, they refused to even discuss and/or debate what would be contained in the temporary rules on Swearing-In Day. There is still time to correct this by adopting temporary Rules when we return to Session.”

Below is a letter Rep. Smith wrote today to Speaker Dennis O’Brien (R-Phila) and Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D-Greene County) requesting Rule changes. 
 

January 10, 2007 

Honorable Dennis M. O'Brien, Speaker
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
139 Main Capitol
Harrisburg PA 17120-2169 

Honorable H. William DeWeese, Majority Leader
110 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120 

Dear Speaker O’Brien and Representative DeWeese: 

As a follow-up to my conversation with the Speaker and Representative Shapiro yesterday, I believe there is a serious question whether temporary House Rules were properly enacted, and I have before the House a Reconsideration Notice on that vote. 

Subsequently, I think it is incumbent on the House to enact temporary Rules by written resolution presented to the House. Without undermining any further discussions for reforms of our rules, I think the temporary Rules should include the following reforms from the Rules in which we operated last session: 

• Limit the Hours of Session Operation: a new rule would mandate session be limited between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. 
• End “ghost-voting” Now: a new rule would eliminate the Capitol Leave proxy voting rule and prohibit ghost voting.
• Real-Time Roll Calls: a new rule would mandate roll call votes be made publicly available and posted on the Internet within 60 minutes of the vote.
• Gambling Oversight Committee: the formation of a new standing committee to oversee Pennsylvania’s new gaming industry.
• Committee Makeup: committees should be more reflective of the partisan breakdown of the House such as 13 majority members to 12 minority members on standing committees. 

I believe and hope that enacting temporary rules will be the first order of business when we return to Session.  These changes should not be considered difficult or controversial as some changes have already unofficially occurred in how the House operates.  Over the last year, the House seldom stayed in session late past 8 p.m. and we have already begun posting session summaries and improved media access to the roll calls – the public deserves no less. 

Sincerely,  

Sam Smith
Republican Leader

Representative Sam Smith
Republican Leader
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Contact:  Stephen Miskin (717) 787-3845
Internet:  www.samsmithpahouse.com