by Dick Hall-Sizemore
The Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates is widely regarded as the second-most powerful figure, after the Governor, in Virginia state government. Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), elevated to the position this session after only two terms in the House, has let the power go to his head. Rather than acting like the presiding officer of the whole House, he is behaving like a partisan dictator.
Two events, perhaps related, earlier this week illustrate this attitude.
To help with the understanding of these events, it would be best to state some of the ground rules:
- The Speaker appoints delegates to committees;
- The Speaker assigns bills to committees;
- The Speaker chairs the House Rules Committee;
- The Rules Committee, unlike other committees, can send bills to the Floor without recommendation;
- House Rules require that no amendment to a bill can be on a subject that is different from the one under consideration. This is known as the “germaneness rule”;
- The Speaker can rule on questions of parliamentary procedure;
- The Speaker’s rulings can be challenged. (Invariably, the members of the majority party, the Speaker’s party, will vote to uphold the Speaker’s rulings.);
- The federal Hyde amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest.