Senate Rules Change

The Washington Post covered failed Republican efforts to change the rules of the Senate to make it easier to fillibuster and to force Senate committees to vote on all bills. Both ideas were voted down on party-line votes. However, the Post missed what was the key rules change. The Senate has amended its rules to join the House of Delegates in prohibiting its members from offering constitutional amendments as amendments to another bill. This small change will prevent anti-gay marriage advocates from repeatedly trying to amend the Maryland Constitution as the Senate takes up other legislation.

At the same time, it doesn't prevent the Senate in taking up the issue. Indeed, Sen. Rich Madaleno informs me that opponents of gay marriage have filed a bill defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The bill has 13 sponsors or cosponsors, 10 Republicans and 3 Democrats. The Senate has 33 Democrats and 14 Republicans. The three Democratic cosponsors are James DeGrange (Anne Arundel), Norman Stone (Balt. County), and Roy Dyson (Southern MD). The four Republicans who are not cosponsors are E.J. Pipkin (Eastern Shore), Andrew Harris (Baltimore and Harford), Allan Kittleman (Howard and Carroll), and Donald Munson (Washington).