For your information and use in the 2010 session, we enclose summaries of the Senate Rulings for the 2009 regular and special sessions. These summaries will be included in the Senate Precedents section of the 2011 edition of Rules and Precedents of the General Assembly. They are also searchable on-line from the General Assembly's “Legislative Documents” link.

As always, our goal is to make these summaries as complete, accurate, and useful as possible. If you or your staff have any comments or suggestions, we hope you will let us know.

CONDUCT OF DEBATE

The bill (1) renamed the crime of “capital felony” as “murder with special circumstances,” (2) eliminated the death penalty as a sentencing option for such crimes committed starting on the bill's effective date, and (3) made the penalty for the new crime life imprisonment without the possibility of release. Senate “C” established the penalty of death or life imprisonment without the possibility of release for any person convicted of murdering a member of the armed forces when the member was on duty or going to or from duty.

A member speaking in favor of the amendment began speaking of his encounters with members of the military. Another member interrupted the legislator, raising a point of order that the member was not speaking about the amendment.

The president pro tempore stated that he had given a lot a leeway on different bills throughout the day. He instructed members to make their comments more specific to the topic going forward. When pressed for a ruling, he indicated that he could not rule the member out of order as he had not heard his statement in its entirety.

LaBeau, May 21, 2009

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED

The bill made changes in various insurance statutes. Senate amendment “B” was called. A member raised a point of order that there was no fiscal note filed on the amendment.

The president ruled the point of order well taken.

Fedele, May 27, 2009

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