Floor Procedure Places Death Penalty Repeal Bill on Senate Floor 3-3-09

In a rare procedural maneuver not used in the Maryland Senate since 1978, a bill was moved from an unfavorable committee report to second reader for full consideration by the Senate through two procedural votes on the Senate floor this morning.

Senator Lisa Gladden (D - Baltimore City) moved that SB 279 - Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal  be substituted for the unfavorable report of the Judicial Proceedings Committee.  This motion essentially rejects the unfavorable report of the committee and allows the full membership of the Senate to take control of the bill.  That motion passed by a vote of 25 yeas and 22 nays.

The next motion by Senator Gladden was to move the bill to second reader.  If passed, this motion essentially operates as the full membership of the Senate becoming the committee and substituting its judgment for the committee vote.  That motion passed by a vote of 24 yeas and 23 nays.

SB 279 is now on second reader open to amendment and was special ordered to an afternoon session.  The Senate will re-convene at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The unofficial floor votes on the two motions are listed below:

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Unofficial Floor Vote on Motion to Substitute the Bill for the Unfavorable Report

SEQ NO. 277 MAR 3, 2009 10:51 AM

Senate of Maryland
2009 Regular Session

SB 279
Sen. Gladden
Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal

Motion to substitute the bill for the unfavorable
report

PRESIDING: MR.PRESIDENT

LEGISLATIVE DATE
MAR 3, 2009

25 YEAS       22 NAYS       0 EXC       0 NOT VOTING       0 EXCUSED (ABSENT)


VOTING YEA - 25

CONWAY       GLADDEN          LENETT                PINSKY
CURRIE          HARRINGTON    MADALENO       PUGH
DEGRANGE   JONES                MCFADDEN    RASKIN
DELLA             KELLEY               MOONEY          ROSAPEPE
EXUM               KING                   MUSE                STONE
FOREHAND    KRAMER            PETERS          ZIRKIN
FROSH

VOTING NAY - 22

MR.PRESIDENT    EDWARDS    JACOBS             MUNSON
ASTLE                   GARAGIOLA    KASEMEYER    PIPKIN
BRINKLEY             GLASSMAN     KITTLEMAN       ROBEY
BROCHIN             GREENIP          KLAUSMEIER    SIMONAIRE
COLBURN             HAINES             MIDDLETON      STOLTZFUS
DYSON                   HARRIS