WA Silencer Bill 1016 Senate hearing 3/9/11.

[seattlewingsfan]

Well progress was made today. I had been waiting for them to clean up the floor calendar. They moved a bunch of bills including SB5112 to the Rules X-file today. This is usually the step done before they add new bills from the opposite house to the floor calendar.

I wish I was paid to be a gun lobbyist. It really could be a full time job, and it's interesting and fun. Well back to what pays the bills... working on a twin turbo Lexus.

 

[Ranb]

I requested a meeting with Senator Brown next week. I have no idea if she will meet, but her aide said meetings are set up by e-mail. She asked that I put the request along with the bill number and date desired in the subject line. If anyone wants to join me, let me know.

Ranb

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Wondering why you have chosen Senator Brown? Other than she is on Rules. Is that your District? Have you heard she is in oposition? Are you planning to bring financial data to the table? Being she is on Ways and means as well, typically interested in revenue. I think she is pretty slammed. Ways and Means is always busy. They had over 100 bills passed to the house, many of which will probably get rushed back over after amendments. They have moved like 10 out of committee most to rules, 16 more to go. With her committee having so many bills in rules I doubt she would use a pull on a Judiciary bill.

Harpers signed majority report and he is vice chair Judiciary and on Rules. Carroll is Pro, and on both. Kline is Pro and on both. Kohl-Welles is on both and signed majority report. Pflug is on both and signed majority report. Kline and Carroll have both made it obvious by pulling or pushing the bill at one point or another that they are on board.

I have no doubt in my mind that nobody but one of these 5 people will be the one that makes a move. Someone on one committee isn't going to pull another committee's bill. All of these 5 people are pro, and I am sure they all are working together and know who is going to pull what bill. There is enough people on both committees that they should be able to convince everyone to place 1016 on Flash or Concent since it was passed out once to the floor as 5112. Eliminating the need for a pull and not wasting their pulls. The issue is these 5 people are also on other committees and they have to report to those people as well.

I think it's best to push for them to ask for 1016 to be placed on Flash or Concent. It benifits everyone! time isn't wasted on it, pulls can be used to shore up their other committee obligations.

 

[Ranb]

Whenever I call to request that bill 1016 be pull from the calendar, I get some common replies. The Republicans say "talk to the Democrats, they have the most influence". The Democrats tell me that Brown has the most say in what bills get pulled as one of the majority leaders. So I am going to talk to Brown. I have tried to make an appointment with Kline in the past, but got nowhere.

I can try to make an appointment with another Democrat. Who do you recommend? Interested in joining me at a meeting? Thanks.

Ranb

 

[seattlewingsfan]

There is a paper I found a few weeks ago online about Majority influence. Granted it's a bit complicated at first read. It not for our specific senate, but gets broke down pretty good and applies just the same.

<broken link removed>

I agree that the Dems have a advantage in what gets pulled and moved out of committee. I really am not too worried yet that there is no action. They haven't even met yet. The cut off is like what 8 days away. They will be meeting tommarrow or the next day I bet. On the plus side we do have Democratic support, quite a bit actually. Several Dem's on the Rules have signed or pulled this bill as 5112. The Representative Blake's baby and he is a Dem... I don't think the days of simply Dem vs Rep is as viable anymore. Sure they have a Majority advantage given to them, but what I would really like to know is what does Brad Owen think of the bill? I couldn't ever get a straight answer out of his office. I'm sure with his position they try to play the fine line to people calling in, but give me something. I know there is no way to get a meeting with him. I'll think about who would be good tonight. Being a majority leader it can't be bad to talk to her.

 

[Topper]

Hey guys,

I've been lurking across several boards watching all the suppressor bill-related forum threads and thought i'd come out of the shadows here finally. I've been writing both sides of the legislature regularly during each major phase of 1016 and 5112. Wrote all members of Senate Rules yesterday and FWIW here is a reply i recieved today from Senator Schoesler's aide- <personal info removed>


-----Original Message-----
From: Winters, Krista [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 1:48 PM
Subject: FW: Please support and pass HB-1016 'Changing restrictions on firearm noise suppressors' out of the Senate Rules Committee

Topper,

Thanks for your message. Senator Schoesler asked me to let you know that he will pull this bill from Rules if the Democrats call a Rules Meeting. They hold the cards on when and if the Republican's are able to pull bills from Rules - but if it happens, Senator Schoesler will pull the bill to the floor for a vote.


Krista Winters
Legislative Aide to
Senator Mark Schoesler
9th Legislative District
State of Washington

 

[Ranb]

Thanks for your message. Senator Schoesler asked me to let you know that he will pull this bill from Rules if the Democrats call a Rules Meeting. They hold the cards on when and if the Republican's are able to pull bills from Rules - but if it happens, Senator Schoesler will pull the bill to the floor for a vote.

This is a direct contradiction to what Senator Brown's aide said to me this afternoon. While I was not able to get a meeting with Senator Brown, her aide told me that Brown supports the bill (will not vote against it) but is unlikely to pull the bill off of the calendar as she has other bills she feels are more important. Brown's aide also told me that each Rules committee member gets the same number of pulls at each hearing. The Republican aides are telling me that the Democrats are the ones pulling the strings and decide who can pull a bill.

As far as I can tell, the Democrat leaders of the Rules committee decide when the hearing is held and how many bills each member can pull. But each member is allowed the same number of pulls. The question is not whether or not Schoesler will have a chance to pull bill 1016, but whether or not he actually will when he gets the chance. He was the co-sponsor of the Senate companion bill 5112, so in my opinion this makes him one of the most likely to pull the bill. I can only hope.

Ranb

 

[Topper]

Yes i think Schoesler's aide royally screwed up the wording of her second statement.

I believe she was trying to tell me that the Dems control when Rules actually meets, and for a bill to get past Rules will need more than just Schoesler pulling the bill, but require a majority of the Rules commitee to vote in approval of his pull for 1016 to get from the green sheet to the floor calendar.

The reply was encouraging though and clearly seems to indicate Schoesler is publicly voicing his intention to keep this bill moving.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Brad just adjourned the Senate till monday at noon. Looks like the floor is taking the weekend off. On a plus side they announced a Rules Meeting imediatly after adjounment in Senator Browns Office. And a Democratic caucus after that. The Rebublicans announced no caucus today. It wouldn't surprise me if rules meets again before monday. Lets see what they get done today!

 

[Topper]

Looks like they just discussed it-

Mar 18 Placed on second reading by Rules Committee

 

[seattlewingsfan]

And... it's over already. There is no way they got much done. less than 10 minutes. Maybe they had a flash calendar created to vote on. crosses fingers.... Browns aide didn't have any info and was way less than helpful. When I asked if there was an advacement on HB1016, she told me I would be better off calling my Representative since it was a house bill. OMFG do they think we are that dumb?

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Sweet just went and checked when I saw you post second reading. They did indeed place it on flash calendar and automatically to the floor. This is what we have been waiting for! They may vote on this as soon as Monday when Senate resumes!

 

[Topper]

Now there still is a hurdle for it to be put on the actual order of consideration for Monday i believe. That is what killed 5112 from what i can tell..

But its an encouraging sign that this bill sailed out of Rules in their very first meeting...

 

[seattlewingsfan]

From the looks of it they placed 22 bills directly to the floor on flash calendar. It should get attention fast.

Part of me thinks 5112 didn't get far for a number of reasons. It is Blakes Bill, he put his name on it and that is the one the Dems would want passed not the companion bill. The companion bill was introduced to get everyone familiar with it. Everyone knew only one bill would make it out and with so much having to be done before the first house cutoff I am surprised we even got them to pass 5112 to the floor. Thats a testament to people bugging them! Once cutoff was over, 1016 could not have got to the floor faster. It got executive action in the first public hearing. It got moved to the floor the first time it was available to have any action made. I don't see it getting any slower, there is no opposition. And the faster they can get it out the faster they can work on bills that will need to be worked on.

The Caucus decides order of consideration. And the Dems called a caucus after the rules meeting I am sure they might have been putting together a calendar for mondays session. Well see what happens...

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Ok they had a Democratic caucus after the floor meeting to discus a package pull which took place in Browns office.

Not that it matters much the outcome is still the same. They will Caucus again on monday and make the order of consideration.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Thank you for update.

 

[sigman]

Lets all cross our fingers.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

I just got done looking and today says Pro Forma Session. Usually that means they are just meeting long enough so they haven't been unconstitutional in being adjourned too long. But wo knows cross fingers..

 

[Topper]

I agree, and wouldn't expect any floor activity today. I've learned a good way to judge this has been to watch the TVW broadcast schedule. They aren't even covering the noon 'session' today, and there isn't any senate floor activity scheduled for broadcast tomorrow either.

There is however a Senate floor debate on the TVW calendar for wednesday though at 10am. That is likely our next window of opportunity.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Hey they updated the Floor calendar this morning. HB1016 is officially on the calendar, number 2 spot! Watch for it Wednesday, I can see them doing a fast session to get out a bunch of the non opposed bills. They do have a cutoff on friday so they will be busy with alot of stuff trying to get stuff out of committee. We actually have till April 12th for this to get a vote. But here's hoping to Wednesday!