How our Representatives Voted in Regard to SJR 127

Show me the Votes Now

In connection with the effort by Rep. Bill Dunn on Thursday, May 1, 2008, to bring SJR 127 to the House floor for a fair up or down vote on the merits, five different votes were cast on procedural motions.  Some motions supported the effort to bring SJR 127 before the full House (designated as “Life” votes) and some were intended to prevent the effort (shown as ”Abortion”).

Here is how it went down.

Procedurally, Rep. Dunn tried to amend a motion to suspend the rules, made by Rep. Gary Odom in connection with another resolution, so that Rep. Odom’s motion to suspend the rules would also include a suspension of the rules to hear SJR 127 on the floor.  Speaker Jimmy Naifeh ruled Rep. Dunn’s motion out of order.  So, unless the Speaker’s ruling was overturned (not sustained) nothing further could have happened.  So, vote 1 below was the critical first vote.  The various motions were as follows:

Vote 1 Vote to Sustain Speaker’s Ruling on Rep. Dunn’s motion.
             Result:  Ruling overturned by vote of 47 to 46     Pro-life win

Vote 2 Motion to accept Rep. Dunn Motion to Amend                                  
Result:  Motion approved by vote of   51-43           Pro-life win

Vote 3 Hostile motion by Rep. Pinion to adjourn to stop the proceedings
Result:  Motion defeated by vote of 51 to 42.      Pro-life win.

Vote 4 Hostile motion to withdraw the resolution as amended by Dunn
Result:  Motion defeated by vote of 50 to 45.          Pro-life win

Vote 5 Motion to Suspend the Rules (the ultimate purpose of effort)
Result.  Votes “for” were 55; “against” were 40  (needed 66).          Pro-life loss

          Reading the Votes

1. Green – Representative to be highly commended for casting a pro-life vote on every motion. 
2. Yellow - Representatives with a mixed voting record who failed to support the pro-life position on one or more of the procedural votes. 
3. Red - Representatives who opposed the pro-life position with every vote. 
4. Grey – Representatives who did not cast a vote due to an excused absense. (All four members with excused absenses were expected to vote the pro-life position had they been present for the votes).