MONTGOMERY — Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) is “OK” with rules changes being proposed by State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur).
Senate rules allow any senator to force lengthy debate and delay through filibustering, by asking for bill titles to be read, and by asking for entire bills to be read at length.
The proposed rules changes to be voted on by the Senate on Thursday limits some of the appointing and administrative authority of the lieutenant governor and requires Senators to remain at their podium on the floor if asking for a bill to be read at length.
Singleton told reporters on Tuesday night that “no one has really talked to us about it on our side” but that he was fine with the changes.
“I’m OK with the proposed rule change as it’s written. I don’t know whether or not they’ll come back and try to change something but in the rule changes it doesn’t really (affect) time (on filibustering),” Singleton said. “It does say that if I’m going to make you read the bill I've got to stand up at the microphone, which is OK, I’ll just get a stool and sit there, that’ll be cool. I’m OK with that.”
He continued, “This is our body. The lieutenant governor is really someone who calls balls and strikes. I think we’ve given a lot of power to the lieutenant governor in the legislative branch when they’re a part of the executive branch.”
“I think that we need to harness that power as much as we possibly can inside of our own branch of government,” Singleton said.
When asked about the rules changes, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, a candidate to be Alabama’s next lieutenant governor, told 1819 News, “I am running to serve the people of Alabama as their Lt. Governor.”
“It will be my job to uphold the rules of the Senate and to fulfill the duties of the Office of Lt. Governor to the best of my ability and I will take each and every one of those duties, tasks and responsibilities seriously,” he added.
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