Vote threshold for certain bills heard in a standing committee of the legislature establishment
Summary
SF685 would change legislative procedure for bills heard in standing committees by requiring a two-thirds vote of the committee membership before a bill can be laid over for possible inclusion in a major finance or policy omnibus bill. In practical terms, a standing committee chair could not hold a bill for omnibus consideration unless that supermajority threshold is met. If the threshold is not met, the committee could instead refer the bill to another committee, send it to the full body, table it, or the chair could end further action on it.
The bill also restricts what can happen to bills that fail this vote threshold. A bill tabled or otherwise stopped because it did not receive the required approval could not later be added to a delete-everything amendment or omnibus bill unless the committee separately votes to adopt an amendment that includes only the policy items specific to that bill. The measure further directs the House and Senate to adopt any procedural rules needed to carry out these requirements.
Impact
This bill would amend Minnesota Statutes chapter 3 by creating a new procedural rule governing how bills are advanced into major finance and policy omnibus legislation. It would affect committee chairs, committee members, and the legislative process for combining bills into omnibus packages, while also limiting the ability to revive failed bills through later omnibus or delete-everything amendments. If enacted, both chambers would need to update their internal rules to conform to the new supermajority requirement.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available legislative history, the measure appears to be aimed at tightening legislative procedure and increasing committee control over omnibus bill inclusion. Because there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided material, there is no documented debate or recorded support/opposition to gauge broader sentiment. The bill’s introduction and referral indicate it was moving through the normal early committee process.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely to be the supermajority threshold itself. Supporters would view it as a safeguard against bills being folded into omnibus legislation without broad committee agreement, while opponents may see it as making it harder to advance legislation and giving a minority of committee members more power to block bills. Another likely issue is the restriction on later inclusion in delete-everything amendments or omnibus bills, which could be criticized as limiting flexibility in the legislative process.
Adopting permanent rules for the House of Representatives, further providing for definitions, for order of business, for fiscal notes, for consideration of bills, for third consideration and final passage bills, for House and concurrent resolutions, for standing committees and subcommittees, for powers and duties of standing committees and subcommittees, for public hearings, for discharge of committees, for lay on the table and for previous question.
Modifies Senate Rule 50 to allow each chair of a standing committee to report no more than three bills, with certain exceptions, when the Senate is on the order of business of reports of standing committees
Modifies Senate Rule 50 to allow each chair of a standing committee to report no more than three bills, with certain exceptions, when the Senate is on the order of business of reports of standing committees