PacWind Pac Wind
For the first time in seven years, the bill that candidates promised they would pass if elected has made it farther in the legislature than ever before. Thursday, though, the House rejected the PAC to PAC bill that passed in the senate Wednesday. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The bill was instead sent to a conference committee to work out the differences between the house version and the senate version.
A couple of the House members went to the mic to say they’re worried that the conference committee may not reach a compromise and the PAC to PAC bill will be killed again. Remember, this bill is about being able to follow the money a candidate receives.
The conference committee is made up of six members. There will be three from the House and those will include two democrats and one republican. The same is true for the senate. There will be three from the upper house and those also include two democrats and one republican. But, even with that mixture, there are legislators who fear the conference committee may kill the PAC to PAC bill.
Rep. James Thomas, (D) Selma said, “The Senate has modified it, as you well know. Made some changes that they think they could live with and I don’t think they’re fixing to back down one inch. So, we wind up not having the bill again this year.” However, the house sponsor of the bill, Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, (D) Guntersville disagrees. “That’s certainly not my intention. You’ll get any number of comments from any number of people about any piece of legislation particularly one that’s had as much attention as this one, but now the purpose of this conference committee is to genuinely sit down and work and try and get back to a tighter version of the bill.”
In order for the conference committee to reach a compromise it takes four votes. Two votes from the three house members and two from the three senate members. Some may think the two democrats from the house and the two from the senate will seal the deal, but remember the differences in the bill are between the house version and the senate’s.
The conference committee’s first meeting is expected to be next week and it has the rest of the session to reach a compromise which can last until May 19th.