An editorial from The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register
WHEELING, W.Va. — Democrats in the West Virginia Senate threw something of a temper tantrum Tuesday, perhaps reflecting their frustration with being the minority party for the first time in more than 80 years.
On Monday, Democrats in a Senate committee voted to table a Republican-sponsored bill to permit charter schools. They won because three GOP senators missed the meeting. Medical isssues reportedly kept two Republicans from attending.
But on Tuesday, with every lawmaker present, the full Senate voted 18-16 to keep the bill alive by taking it out of the committee.
Angry Democrats accused their GOP counterparts of breaking Senate rules. Then, they staged a slowdown by insisting that some bills brought to the floor be read in their entirety. If that continues, it could delay or prevent action on important proposals.
Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, should call an end to the slowdown. It is not how Mountain State voters expect the public’s business to be handled.
To read more from The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register, subscribe here.
