Pa. House Democrats accuse Speaker Turzai of making votes on defeated bills disappear

State House Democrats have accused House Speaker Mike Turzai, the chamber’s top Republican, of twice failing to record votes against bills he supports this week, in violation of the chamber’s rules.

The two votes at issue involved a bill imposing mandatory minimum sentences for certain for gun crimes, sponsored by Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery. The other was an amendment to a Turzai-sponsored bill authorizing school vouchers for the Harrisburg School District.

According to House Democrats, the minority party, both measures were defeated in bipartisan, majority votes, but the final results were not recorded.

The House website lists the mandatory minimum bill as having been on third consideration on Monday, when the House would typically register its final vote. But no vote total is listed for the bill.

Under the chamber’s rules, measures that are defeated on the floor cannot be voted on again unless the chamber agrees to reconsider them.

Turzai’s actions have “the potential to subvert the democratic process,” said Rep. Matt Bradford, of Montgomery County, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.



https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/house-democrats-accuse-speaker-turzai-of-making-votes-on-defeated-bills-disappear/