50 ways to kill a bill… And this time, it went the wrong way.

It’s a tradition in the House to give first-year lawmakers a load of grief when their first bill comes up for a vote. Usually, usually, the shenanigans involve a fair amount of vote switching and playing around with the voting buttons on each member’s desk. Usually, usually, shenanigans go on up until the last possible moment, with someone taking the lead on making sure that crucial 33rd vote gets recorded. 

Pity Rep. Matt Soper, Republican of Delta*, and people who get the concept correct, at least in theory if not in practice.

On Tuesday, Soper’s House Bill 1094, which would add basic life skills to online education, was up for its final vote. The race was on! Lots of switching went on, until the voting machine was declared closed. 

It got 32 “yes” votes and 31 “no” votes, and somewhere along the way there were more than a few first-year lawmakers who thought that was just fine and that the bill passed.

But, oh, there’s that 33-18-1 rule: It takes 33 votes in the 65-momber House to pass a bill, no matter how many lawmakers are present. (The 18 is for the Senate and the Gov gets the last vote, by signing the bill). 

“Basic legislator education,” quipped Soper on Thursday. An attempt was made to resuscitate the bill but Soper didn’t have the 44 votes (two-thirds) vote for reconsideration. 

Soper is not the only one to see a bill win a majority of the vote and still lose, and it was an education for just about everyone.

Back in 2011, Rep. Robert Ramirez of Westminster had a bill requiring RTD to contract out its services. The bill passed 32 to 28 and Ramirez got ready to celebrate … until then-Speaker of the House Frank McNulty declared the bill lost. Voices of confusion could be heard in the chamber, until it was pointed out that the bill needed 33 votes.

It was also Ramirez’ first bill to make it to the House floor in his first year. 

Camera shy? these people? Nah… CBS4’s Shaun Boyd apparently brings out the prankster in certain lawmakers. In the past week, when she’s been doing on-camera interviews, there have been attempts to get the lawmaker in front of the camera to crack up.

The most recent is Rep. Jeni Arndt, Democrat of Fort Collins, who Boyd was interviewing on Tuesday. That prompted Sen. Jack Tate, Republican of Centennial, to come up with this mug.

He did it because Arndt is his BF at the Capitol, and why not? FYI, Arndt didn’t fall for it. 

Quote of the week… Senate Bill 14 was up for a final vote on Valentine’s Day in the Senate. Its sponsor, Sen. Don Coram, Republican of Montrose, in an attempt to drum up votes, reminded everyone that it was the 14th and his bill is the 14th.

“Please show the love!” Coram told the Senate.

He got 33 votes.

Correction: Rep Soper is from Delta, not Grand Junction.