National Popular Vote Compact Dies in Senate Committee!

The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee yesterday afternoon effectively killed HB 177, a bill that would dilute Virginians' presidential votes by tying them to large liberal voting states such as New York and California. It voted 14-1 to carry the bill over for the year. But after the vote committee chairman Senator Creigh Deeds (D-25, Charlottesville) promised a "carry over meeting" of the committee in the fall, where bills that received such a vote may be reconsidered. If the bill reports at that time, it would go immediately to the Senate floor at the very start of the 2021 General Assembly. While unlikely to get a better vote, it merits scrutiny over the next several months.   

The bill, known as the National Popular Vote Compact, was introduced by Delegate Mark Levine (D-45, Alexandria). It barely escaped the House on three different occasions, although it was a priority agenda item for the Left. However, it met its deserved fate late yesterday as several committee Democrats and all six Republicans understood that states cannot amend the U.S. Constitution without going through the amendment process, among many legal, logistical and pragmatic defects in the compact. 

But there's more to the vote. After hearing compelling testimony by opponents, including several grassroots activists, The Family Foundation and a national expert from Save Our States, Senator Deeds entertained a motion. Senator Janet Howell (D-32, Fairfax County) made a motion to report before the public comment period even began. When the committee was reminded that the motion had been made, some thought they heard another member make a "second." Senator Jill Vogel (R-27, Winchester) then offered a substitute motion to pass by indefinitely. 

There can be only one substitute motion and when Senator Deeds ruled that the first motion did not receive a second and ruled that Senator Vogel's was the primary motion, Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-33, Herndon), in a move to keep the bill on life support, countered with a motion to carry the bill over for the year. That passed 14-1.

The video of the committee's proceedings are posted here (starts at 32:30). 

Thank you to all who contacted committee senators over the last two weeks as well as to our coalition partners who joined us in raising public awareness and who personally visited delegates and senators over the last several weeks.