In a largely partisan vote, Republicans blocked legislation which would require subcommittee votes to be recorded so that citizens know what their representatives are voting for and against. In a letter sent to constituents, Ken Plum (D-Reston) wrote (reduced here for readability):
The General Assembly continues to cloak in secrecy some of its most basic decisions, those concerning the life or death of proposed laws. A bill to change this was defeated on a largely partisan vote during the very first hour the legislature was in session.
Two years ago, the GOP majority in the House of Delegates used its new power to change the legislative rules under which the House operated. Bills that went to subcommittee for evaluation could be killed there - with no recorded vote.
Constituents could find out not only what happened to a bill, but who made it happen. The old system provided openness and accountability.
Nearly 800 bills have been defeated anonymously. And there’s no telling what sort of bills your elected representative may have voted for in secret, in exchange for another delegates vote. Democracy and openness in government go hand in hand and thus should be a bipartisan issue, so why the need for secrecy?
The ultra-conservative Virginia Club for Growth, Virginia FREE, League of Women Voters, AARP, Virginia Education Association, and more supported this bill. But it was still struck down with only one Republican voting for the new rules.
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