June 29, 2011
FLASH: Senate Committee Adjourns Arbitration Hearing...then Quickly Reconvenes and Approves
Monique called into Matt Allen to report that the Senate Labor Committee had approved binding arbitration after having ended the hearing, clearing the room and then quickly reconvening to vote.
Voting YES (to pass the bill)
Ciccone
Doyle
Goodwin
Lombardo
McCaffrey
Voting NO
Hodgson
Picard
Fogarty
There is still hope in the House, which is hearing testimony as we speak (though supposedly no vote will happen tonight).
Great, thanks for posting this, Marc.
This serpentine maneuver of clearing the hearing and then quickly reconvening to vote is a remarkable new low for the Rhode Island Senate.
Posted by: Monique at June 29, 2011 9:48 PM... and kudos to Lisa Blais for calling Matt Allen to sound the alarm about this despicable heh-heh-let's-trick-the-citizens-into-leaving chicanery.
I was at the Statehouse to voice my opposition to this legislation. I have to say what I saw and experienced was very disheartening to say the least. People who showed up early to sign up to testify were told the House was not hearing testimony, only to find out later they would. I'm not sure if they heard any testimony at all on the Senate side but I guess the results speak to themselves...it wouldn't have mattered. Lastly...after literally rubbing elbows with our 'esteemed'leaders in the GA, I had to take a shower when I got home...
Posted by: JTR at June 30, 2011 9:50 AM