The Votes on Senate Bill 80
In the meeting of March 19, 2008, after a brief discussion on Senate Bill 80, the question was called and Committee Chair Ben Bridges asked for a voice vote on Senate Bill 80 and declared that the ayes had won. A member of the committee requested a counted vote and the Chair asked all those in favor to raise their hands. Before a vote could be taken, the committee member clarified that his request was for a roll call vote. The Chair called the roll and the votes were as follows:
The vote was 5 ayes and 6 nays. At this point the House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, an ex-officio or ad-hoc member of the committee, appointed to the committee just for this purpose, voted in favor of the bill which resulted in a tie vote of 6 ayes to 6 nays.
Given the opportunity to vote when a tie vote occurs, Committee Chair Ben Bridges was able to vote aye thus breaking the tie and reporting the bill out of committee with a vote of 7 ayes and 6 nays.
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