Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey Redefines Constitutional Majority
Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser released the following statement regarding Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey’s late-night rule change, which allowed the adoption of a Senate rules committee report with less than the constitutional majority of seventeen:
“Never before in Tennessee history has a legislative body adopted its rules with less than the constitutional majority. Rather than abide by established parliamentary procedure, Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey decided to score partisan points.
I suppose the Tennessee Senate procedures dating as far back as Andrew Jackson are not good enough for Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey.”
From the Associated Press:
Senate votes to change key rules
Now procedure changes would require OK from two-thirds of members
NASHVILLE - The Senate on Monday voted to change a segment of its in-house rules that could determine the powers of the speaker, committees and the flow of legislation.
Senators voted on whether attempts to change the Senate rules of procedure would require a majority of 17 votes in the 33-member chamber - which is currently the case - or if approval from two-thirds of the members would be needed.
The vote was 16-13 for the latter.
Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle considered challenging the vote, saying 17 votes should have been needed for passage, but he decided not to.
“This is really a sad day in this Senate,” Kyle said. “And with that said, I withdraw my motion.”
Kyle took the two-thirds requirement for rule changes out of the Senate’s temporary rules when the session convened in January. Republicans wanted to put the requirement back in before the Senate adopted the permanent rules that would govern the chamber until the end of next year.
Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris said he planned to vote on the permanent rules Monday evening but decided to wait at the request of some lawmakers.
Republicans held a one-vote majority when the 105th General Assembly convened in January, and Sen. Ron Ramsey of Blountville was elected the first Republican speaker since Reconstruction.
Ramsey appointed Republican chairmen and majorities to the most powerful committees before Sen. Mike Williams of Maynardville shed his Republican affiliation to become an Independent.
Williams’ defection dropped the GOP into a 16-16 tie with Senate Democrats, but Senate rules do not require Ramsey to change the makeup of committees to reflect that change.
By LUCAS L. JOHNSON II, Associated Press
April 17, 2007
